Two brothers sentenced to 40 years in prison for drug trafficking

According to the indictment of the Procuracy: At about 10:55 a.m. on August 28, 2022, Nong Van Sau (born in 1993) drove a motorbike carrying drugs to Chau Kim commune, Que Phong district, and was discovered by the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (Nghe An Police) and caught red-handed for illegally buying and selling drugs, seizing 57.85 grams of heroin.

At the investigation agency, Sau confessed to buying the above drugs from Tho Ba Va (born 1998) and Tho Ba Ly (born 1999), two biological brothers, for 30 million VND to resell to others for profit.

The three defendants Va, Ly, and Sau at the trial. Photo: Duc Vu

Expanding the case, at about 2:00 p.m. on October 11, 2022, on the inter-commune road in Muong Long village, Tri Le commune, Que Phong district, when Tho Ba Va brought 76.05 grams of heroin to sell to a Lao man (unknown origin and address) for 35 million VND and hid on his person a K59 gun and 8 bullets, he was discovered and caught red-handed by Nghe An Provincial Police in coordination with Que Phong District Police and Tri Le Border Guard Station.

In this case, the defendant Tho Ba Va plays the main role and must bear criminal responsibility both times for the illegal purchase and sale of a total of 133.9 grams of heroin (including August 28, 2022 and October 11, 2022) and illegal possession of 01 K59 gun and 08 bullets of military weapons. Nong Van Sau and Tho Ba Ly must bear criminal responsibility once for the illegal purchase and sale of 57.85 grams of heroin (on August 28, 2022).

Defendant Tho Ba Va received the maximum sentence of 24 years in prison. Photo: Duc Vu

At the investigation agency, Nong Van Sau, Tho Ba Va, and Tho Ba Ly honestly confessed their crimes and at the trial all showed remorse. Due to limited legal awareness and poverty, greed led to violations of the law. They hoped the Trial Panel would consider giving the defendants a chance to correct their mistakes.

At the end of the trial, the Trial Panel sentenced the defendant Tho Ba Va to 20 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking, 04 years in prison for illegal possession of military weapons, a total sentence of 24 years in prison; defendant Tho Ba Ly to 16 years in prison, defendant Nong Van Sau to 17 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking. Because the defendants' families are in difficult circumstances, the court exempted them from additional punishment./.