Buying and selling heroin for 10 million VND, cousins pay with their lives
After a customer ordered two heroin cakes, the two brothers Khoa and Bu coordinated to carry out the transaction. This business deal, which earned each of them 10 million VND, resulted in both of them receiving 20 years and life sentences.
On June 20, the People's Court of Nghe An province opened the first instance trial of defendants Lo Van Khoa (born in 1969), residing in Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district (Nghe An); Vi Van Bu (born in 1972), residing in Huu Kiem commune, Ky Son district and Vo Duy Tam (born in 1976), residing in My Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district (Nghe An) for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking".
The indictment shows that Lo Van Khoa and Vi Van Bu are cousins. Vo Duy Tam is an acquaintance of Bu and through Bu, Tam knows Khoa.
Around May 2024, Tam called Khoa to order 2 heroin cakes to resell for profit. At this time, Khoa told Tam to contact Bu if anything happened.
After “inquiring” about the price of drugs, Khoa called Bu and quoted 260 million VND for 2 cakes of heroin. Bu informed the customer of the price and set a time to buy and sell.
On May 31, 2024, Tam went to Bu's house and gave him 260 million VND to buy drugs. Early the next morning, Bu gave the money to his cousin Khoa.
Then, Khoa went alone to the hill in Dua village, Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district to buy 2 heroin cakes (weighing more than 700 grams) from a Mong man for 240 million VND.
After buying the drugs, Bu and Khoa went to the meeting place to meet the customer. That afternoon, the two cousins delivered the drugs to Tam. Bu and Khoa split the profit of 20 million VND, each half.
Then, Tam put it behind his belt and took a bus home. However, on the way, he was arrested by the police.
Expanding the investigation, the police issued and executed an emergency detention order against Lo Van Khoa. Upon learning that Khoa was arrested, Bu fled into the forest and surrendered on January 26, 2025.
At the trial, the defendants admitted to their crimes. Defendant Tam stated that his purpose of trafficking drugs was to resell them for profit. The two defendants Bu and Khoa were cousins who cooperated to buy drugs and resell them to Tam, each earning a profit of 10 million VND.
The defendants all confessed honestly, expressed remorse for their crimes and asked the panel of judges to consider reducing their sentences.
After considering the role of each defendant in the case, the panel sentenced Lo Van Khoa to life in prison. The two defendants Vi Van Bu and Vo Duy Tam each received a 20-year prison sentence.
