Just released from prison, he accepted to transport drugs from Nghe An to Da Nang for only 1 million VND.
(Baonghean.vn) - Having just finished serving a drug-related sentence, when a fellow inmate asked Moong Thoong Phet to help him buy "goods" and receive 1 million VND in compensation, he agreed.
On the morning of July 29, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of defendant Moong Thoong Phet (born 1977), residing in Bao Thang commune, Ky Son district, for the crime of illegal drug trafficking.
Phet was once sentenced to 7 years in prison by the People's Court of Nam Giang district (Quang Nam) for illegal possession of drugs.
According to the investigation agency's documents, while serving his sentence at An Diem Prison (Ministry of Public Security), Phet met a man named A Ly. In November 2018, while working as a waiter at a restaurant in Da Nang City, Phet met his fellow prisoner again. At this time, A Ly told him, "When you return to Ky Son, buy 6 million VND worth of drugs and I will pay you 1 million VND in wages." Phet agreed.
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| Defendant Moong Thoong Phet at trial. Photo: Tran Vu |
Around February 2019, Phet returned home for Tet. In early March, A Ly called Phet and asked to meet at the bus station when they arrived in Da Nang. Phet promised to arrive on March 15.
To have “goods” to deliver to a friend, on the afternoon of March 14, Phet rode his motorbike to his wife’s house in Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district to buy drugs. When passing through Dua village in Luong Minh commune, he saw two Mong men riding their motorbikes in the opposite direction. Phet signaled for them to stop. Phet asked, “Do you have any drugs?” One of the two men said, “I still have a piece” and agreed to sell it to Phet for 5.7 million VND.
After getting the drugs, Phet hid them in the bushes in Minh Tien village, Luong Minh commune. At 11pm the same day, Phet called his younger brother to ask him to take him to Da Nang. Before his younger brother arrived, Phet had time to take the drugs he had hidden on his person.
When the motorbike carrying Phet reached Luu Thang village, Chieu Luu commune (Ky Son), the police of Ky Son district caught him red-handed. The evidence confiscated was 3 packages of drugs, with a total weight of 82.55 grams.
At court, Moong Thoong Phet confessed honestly, admitting all his crimes. Phet said he did not know the two drug dealers, he just asked by chance and was sold drugs. The defendant has not received the 1 million VND that A Ly promised to pay him.
Considering the case as a whole, the panel sentenced Moong Thoong Phet to 17 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking.
