An elderly mother in a wheelchair watches her daughter appear in court for the third time on drug charges.
At her advanced age, she still had to use a wheelchair to go to court and witness her daughter's third trial for illegal drug trafficking. The mother's tears had dried up after the repeated setbacks of her daughter who refused to reform.
Single mother trafficked drugs three times.
During the first-instance criminal trial of four defendants, Dang Thi Cuong (born in 1982), residing in Thai Hoa ward; Lo Van Thon (born in 1985) and Vi Dinh Phan (born in 1998), both residing in Muong Quang commune; and Ly Ba Po (born in 1984), residing in Tri Le commune, Nghe An province, charged with "illegally trading narcotics," many were deeply saddened to see Cuong's frail, elderly mother, in a wheelchair, arriving at the court. She repeatedly broke down in tears because of her daughter's repeated imprisonment and crimes.
Ms. Le Thi K. (75 years old, Cuong's mother) is all too familiar with having to go to court to witness her daughter being tried for illegal drug trafficking. She is no longer as ashamed as the first time she went to court with her daughter, but this time Ms. K. feels immense pain, wondering if she will ever have the chance to see her daughter again. At 75, she should be enjoying a peaceful life with her children and grandchildren, but unexpectedly, her second daughter has repeatedly become involved with drugs.
Dang Thi Cuong only studied up to the third grade and grew up struggling to make a living. In 2008, Cuong became a single mother. Raising her child alone without a stable job, she fell into the trap of illegal drug trafficking. Her first sentence in 2014 was 24 months in prison. Later, in 2021, Dang Thi Cuong appeared in court a second time for illegal drug trafficking and received a two-year prison sentence.
Drugs not only landed Cuong in prison but also caused this woman to contract HIV. One might have thought that after the sentences he received and his sister's imprisonment for drug-related offenses, Cuong would turn over a new leaf and start a new life. However, this woman continued down the same path.
In this instance, Cuong spent a large sum of money to buy drugs for resale. Specifically, on the afternoon of August 27, 2024, Cuong called Lo Van Thon to order 30 packets of methamphetamine for 65 million VND. That afternoon, Cuong hastily took a bus to Kim Son town, Que Phong district (now Que Phong commune) to pick up the "goods".
Regarding Thốn, after receiving a drug order, he contacted Lỳ Bá Pó to inquire about purchasing the "goods." Pó then called a man named Và (address unknown), saying someone had inquired about buying methamphetamine and was told the price was 40 million dong. Và promised to give Pó 3 million dong after the drug transaction was completed.
After Cuong paid for the drugs, Thon went to receive the "goods." Thon put the drugs into a sack of bamboo shoots and gave it to Cuong. At the same time, Thon called Vi Dinh Phan and hired him to transport Cuong and the drugs back to Thai Hoa for a fee of 6 million dong.
Upon returning home, Dang Thi Cuong hid the drugs in the bathroom and concealed 9 ecstasy pills in the kitchen. At 0:30 AM on August 28th, police unexpectedly raided Cuong's house. At that moment, Cuong rushed into the bathroom, retrieved the drugs she had hidden earlier, and attempted to dispose of them behind the house, but was discovered by the authorities.
The investigating agency determined that Dang Thi Cuong, Lo Van Thon, Ly Ba Po, and Vi Dinh Phan are criminally liable for the illegal trafficking of nearly 600 grams of narcotics.
The elderly mother, in a wheelchair, came to court to see her son.
At the trial, the defendant admitted knowing that buying and selling drugs was against the law. She herself had previously served two prison sentences for drug-related offenses. At this point, the judges questioned: "Why did you re-offend in drug trafficking?" Dang Thi Cuong immediately offered several reasons to justify her criminal act. "I have HIV, so I don't have the health to do other work," she stated. However, the judges cautioned her, saying that these justifications were unacceptable.
The defendant then recounted his difficult family circumstances, mentioning his elderly mother who was frail and ill and confined to a wheelchair. Since his sister went to prison for drug offenses, he had to take on the responsibility of caring for his nieces and nephews. "My situation is very difficult; I have to rent a house to live in, raising my children, nieces and nephews, and my elderly mother all by myself," Cường explained, his eyes welling up with tears in court.
The judge sternly reprimanded the defendant for the reasons Cuong offered to justify his criminal actions. The defendant, having served multiple prison sentences and being well aware of the law, deliberately reoffended, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the law. He warned that one cannot use hardship as an excuse to break the law. Hearing this, Cuong lowered his head to the table.
Listening to her daughter's testimony, Mrs. K. was overcome with grief. Despite her advanced age, frail health, and the difficulty of using a wheelchair, she made the effort to come to court to see her daughter. This was because the mother feared something unforeseen might happen to her daughter while she was in prison.
Sitting near her son while the court deliberated, Mrs. K. continuously wiped away tears. At this moment, Cuong also burst into tears, apologizing to his mother. "I'm afraid of dying in prison, Mom," Cuong said, grasping his mother's wrinkled hand, his voice choked with emotion. Then, looking at his 16-year-old son, Cuong instructed, "Everything depends on you. Try to live a good life." After saying this, the female defendant turned to her sister, entrusting her with the responsibility of caring for her son and nephew.
Although Dang Thi Cuong pleaded for leniency, the court, considering her role as the ringleader in this case, sentenced her to 20 years in prison. This was also the sentence given to Lo Van Thon and Ly Ba Po. Defendant Vi Dinh Phan received an 18-year prison sentence for the crime of illegally trafficking narcotics.
As Dang Thi Cuong was escorted to the vehicle to be taken back to prison, Mrs. K. sat silently, motionless, watching her daughter disappear behind the door. She seemed utterly exhausted, with no more tears left to cry for her child. She didn't even know if she would still be alive when her daughter returned.
