Use wedding money to sell opium

On September 21, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a criminal trial of defendant Vi Van Diep (born 1977), residing in Kim Son town, Que Phong district, for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking".

This is the third time Diep has appeared in court. Previously, in 1998, Diep was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the Lao Cai Provincial People's Court for "illegally trading in narcotics". In 2012, Diep was sentenced to another 9 years in prison for the same crime.

In this third crime, Diep also committed the act of illegally buying and selling drugs.

Defendant Vi Van Diep received a life sentence. Photo: Tran Vu

Specifically, on April 3, 2022, while going to the market, Diep met an acquaintance named Tua (unknown background and address) so they talked.

After knowing Tua sold drugs, Diep ordered 20 packages.pink sheetto sell for profit. Tua offered 20 million VND and set a time and place for delivery and pick-up. The seller made a request: "If you don't show up at the scheduled time, we won't sell any more drugs."

Fearing that he would be late for the appointment the next morning, that same afternoon, Diep rode his motorbike to the edge of the forest near the meeting point to sleep and wait. The next morning, Diep met Tua, handed over the money, received the goods, and then brought them home to hide.

On April 10, Que Phong District Police inspected Diep's residence and discovered many packages of heroin weighing nearly 400 grams.

At the trial, the defendant admitted that he had been to prison many times but still reoffended due to difficult circumstances.

Regarding the money used to buy drugs, Diep said part was saved and part was from wedding money.

Committing the crime with the aggravating circumstance of recidivism, defendant Vi Van Diep was sentenced to life in prison for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking"./.