The fate of the man who trafficked heroin to… treat his illness.
Despite becoming a grandfather, Ha Thanh Xuyen failed to set a good example for his children and grandchildren and relapsed into drug trafficking. At the trial, the defendant claimed he trafficked drugs to pay for medical treatment, but this justification could not save him from a prison sentence.
Released from prison and immediately reoffended.
Ha Thanh Xuyen (66 years old) lives in Chau Binh commune, Quy Chau district. Like many families in the area, Xuyen and his wife work in farming and livestock raising to develop their economy and raise their four children. It seemed that the burden would lessen once their children settled down and started their own families. However, this individual then violated the law in his twilight years.
In 2021, Ha Thanh Xuyen was sentenced by the court to 1 year and 3 months in prison for "illegally possessing narcotics." It seemed that after that setback, Xuyen would turn over a new leaf, but he once again became entangled in legal troubles. This time, the man in his 70s was involved in drug trafficking.
.jpg)
According to the indictment, on the morning of January 7, 2024, Ha Thanh Xuyen received a phone call from an unknown man ordering one block of heroin. Based on this order, Xuyen immediately contacted Viet, a man she had known previously, to inquire about purchasing one block of heroin for 28 million VND. At that time, because she didn't have enough money, Xuyen proposed paying 10 million VND upfront and deferring payment for the remaining amount, which the seller agreed to.
Early in the morning of January 9th, as previously arranged, Xuyen took a bus to Tay Hieu intersection in Thai Hoa town. At this time, Viet boarded the bus and went to the seat where Xuyen was sitting. The two then conducted a drug transaction. After purchasing the heroin, Xuyen got off the bus and contacted the buyer.
To avoid detection by authorities, Xuyen chose a hospital as the location for the transaction. In the parking area at the end of a hospital in Thai Hoa town, Ha Thanh Xuyen handed over more than 44 grams of drugs to a customer.
While this individual was in the process of buying and selling drugs, the police discovered and apprehended him red-handed. Taking advantage of a lapse in security, the drug buyer quickly escaped. For this act, Xuyen was prosecuted and brought to trial for the crime of illegally buying and selling narcotics.
A message for loved ones
At the trial, the defendant confessed to his motive for the crime. Xuyen stated that he trafficked drugs to earn money for medical treatment. "Previously, I used methamphetamine to treat insomnia," he explained, adding that he suffered from joint pain, leg pain, and chronic insomnia... and because he lacked the money for treatment, he resorted to drug trafficking. In response to the defendant's testimony, the panel of judges reminded him that illness could not be used to justify drug trafficking and distribution, especially since he had previously served time in prison for drug-related offenses.
When questioned about the money used to commit the crime, the defendant confessed that it came from selling fish. According to the defendant, his family owns two fish ponds, which generate an income of approximately 15 million VND per year. He used 10 million VND from that amount to traffic drugs and then resell them for profit. The defendant acknowledged that his actions were illegal and expressed remorse for his crime.
During the trial, the defendant repeatedly cited poor health and frequent illnesses to request leniency. No relatives of the defendant were present at the trial. The defendant repeatedly looked down searching for family members, but only saw empty rows of seats.
Therefore, in her final statement before the court adjourned for deliberation, Xuyen asked the panel of judges to inform her relatives to visit her in prison so that she could have money to buy medicine. She also asked her relatives to remember to bring her previous medical records. Xuyen expressed sadness that she had previously asked someone to inform her family about the trial but for some reason no one came to the court.
In this instance of committing a crime, besides worrying about the prison sentence, Xuyen also had another concern: her own health. According to the defendant, due to her advanced age, weak health, and multiple illnesses, she needed regular check-ups and medication.
The trial concluded, and Ha Thanh Xuyen was sentenced by the lower court to 16 years in prison for illegally trafficking narcotics. Xuyen was escorted back to the detention center. As he walked, the defendant kept turning his head to look behind him...
