Sentenced to life in prison for 5 million VND to carry 'white goods' for hire

On August 5, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of Cao Xuan Hieu (born 1984), residing in Hamlet 6, Dien Thanh Commune, Dien Chau District, for the crime of "Illegally transporting narcotics".

Cao Xuan Hieu had a previous sentence of 15 years in prison for "Murder and robbery". In 2018, Hieu was released from prison and reintegrated into society. Not long after, Hieu participated in the illegal transportation of drugs.

Defendant Cao Xuan Hieu at the trial. Photo: Tran Vu

According to the investigation agency's documents, on April 2, 2020, Hieu drove to the house of an acquaintance named Ngoc in Chau Kim commune, Que Phong district. Because he did not know the house, Hieu called Ngoc and was approached by a masked man who asked, "Are you from the lowlands?". Hieu answered "yes", so the man asked him to "transport the package to the lowlands and will pay you 5 million VND." Hieu agreed and then followed the man to get the goods.

The man then gave Hieu 2 bricks of heroin and 18 packets of opium. He told Hieu to take another route to avoid the police. When Hieu arrived at Ba Long village, Chau Hoan commune, Quy Chau district, he was arrested by the police along with the evidence.

At court, Hieu initially testified that when he was hired to transport the drugs, he did not know they were white. However, he later admitted to the crime. He said that because he was in debt, he agreed to the transport.

The panel of judges determined that in this case, the defendant had some mitigating circumstances such as his father and mother had contributed to the revolution and were awarded medals by the State.

Considering the case as a whole, the court sentenced Cao Xuan Hieu to life in prison for illegal transportation of drugs.