Lost in the vortex of drugs
Having had the chance to rebuild his life after his past mistakes, Lo Van Khoa chose the same path again. This time, he not only lost his freedom but also left behind months of regret and immense pain for his loved ones.
Cousins caught in drug trap together.
Lo Van Khoa (born in 1969), residing in Luong Minh commune, and Vi Van Bu (born in 1972), residing in Huu Kiem commune (Nghe An province), are cousins. Both were born in a difficult mountainous region, relying on the forest for their livelihood. Their impoverished lives, coupled with a lack of ambition, led them down the path of drug addiction.Drug trafficking.
Having paid the price for a past mistake, Khoa was sentenced to 7 years in prison in 2018 for "illegally trafficking narcotics." At that time, his youngest child was only 5 years old, and his two older children were still in school. It was thought that the sentence would be a cautionary tale, helping Khoa to turn his life around, but after his release from prison, he could not escape the cycle of crime.
Around May 2024, Khoa received a phone call from Vo Duy Tam (born in 1976), residing in Van Tu commune (Nghe An province), ordering two blocks of heroin. Not wanting to handle it directly, Khoa told Tam: "If anything comes up, just contact Bu." Afterward, Khoa went to the forest to meet a Hmong man, who quoted a price of 240 million VND. He raised the price to 260 million VND to pocket the difference.
Upon receiving information from Khoa, Vi Van Bu relayed it to the client and agreed on a transaction time. On May 31, 2024, Tam brought 260 million VND to Bu's house to hand over the money. Bu then transferred the entire amount to Khoa to go into the forest to retrieve the "goods." The next day, Khoa brought the drugs back and, together with Bu, prepared to deliver them to Tam. However, the drug ring was quickly discovered. Tam was arrested by the police along with the evidence while transporting the drugs downstream for sale.
Expanding the investigation, authorities arrested Lo Van Khoa and executed an emergency detention order. Upon hearing of his cousin's arrest, Bu fled into the forest and only surrendered on January 26, 2025, confessing to all his crimes. All three were prosecuted for "Illegal trafficking of narcotics."
The price of recidivism
At the first-instance trial, all three defendants bowed their heads and admitted their crimes. Vo Duy Tam confessed that he knew buying and selling drugs was wrong, but driven by greed, he still embarked on this criminal path. The operation ended with a 20-year prison sentence before it could even yield any profit.
As the person directly involved in purchasing the drugs, defendant Lo Van Khoa justified his actions by citing "difficult circumstances and the pressure of raising children." He claimed that if successful, he would have made a profit of 10 million dong – a sum so small that even the judges questioned: "For just 10 million dong, you accepted sacrificing your freedom and causing pain to your wife and children. Do you think it was worth it?" Khoa remained silent.
In court, he stated that he had vowed to reform himself after his release from prison, but greed and a dissolute lifestyle had led him back to his old ways. With the aggravating circumstance of recidivism, Khoa was sentenced to life imprisonment. Vi Văn Bu and Võ Duy Tâm each received 20 years in prison.
The trial concluded, leaving Khoa facing a harsh sentence and months of imprisonment followed by belated remorse. Lo Van Khoa is not the only one swept away by drugs, but his story serves as a clear warning: A single moment of recklessness can lead to a lifetime of tragedy.
Fate is not predetermined; it is written by choices. If Khoa had chosen a different path, perhaps his 56th year would not have ended with a life sentence and the belated tears of those left behind.
