Buying drugs for an old friend, the guy once again lives in prison

On May 19, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of defendant Luong Van Khuong (born 1991), residing in Phuc Son commune, Anh Son district, for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking”.

The case file shows that on the afternoon of November 20, 2021, Khuong went to Do Luong town to visit and met a fellow prisoner named Tuan, who introduced him as living in Cua Nam ward, Vinh city. Tuan asked Khuong to buy opium and resell it to Khuong.

Defendant Luong Van Khuong. Photo: Tran Vu

Khuong agreed and took a bus to Ta Ca commune, Ky Son district to buy heroin. On the bus, Khuong met a passenger who gave him the phone number of a Thai man selling the drugs. Later, Khuong and the drug seller met at a high school in Ky Son district. Khuong and the seller agreed on a price of 6 million VND for 3 packages of heroin.

The next morning, Khuong returned to Tuan and asked for money in advance to buy drugs because he had no money. Tuan agreed to give the money, then promised to give Khuong 1.5 million VND after the transaction was completed.

On November 24, Khuong drove his motorbike to buy drugs. On the way back, Luong Van Khuong was caught red-handed by Ky Son District Police with nearly 60 grams of drugs.

It is known that previously, in 2012, Khuong was sentenced to 24 months in prison for "Illegal possession of drugs".

At the trial, the defendant admitted to the crime. Khuong said that out of greed, he agreed to buy drugs for his former cellmate. This was the second time the defendant committed the crime and expressed remorse, asking for a lighter sentence.

After considering aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the panel sentenced defendant Luong Van Khuong to 16 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking.