Mother burst into tears after traveling more than 700 km from Quang Nam to Nghe An to see her child in court.

The Fallen Son

Ho Duc Quynh (21 years old), was born and raised in Tien Canh commune, Tien Phuoc district (Quang Nam). After finishing 9th grade, Quynh decided to quit school, stay home to help his mother and sell goods for extra income. Feeling sorry for his sick mother and his father who died early, Quynh showed great enthusiasm for business. Therefore, when hearing the news that Quynh was arrested in Nghe An for drug-related crimes, his relatives were extremely shocked and surprised.

Especially for a mother who has been sick all year round. The bad news made Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh T. (65 years old) faint and faint. Her already weak health was now hit by a huge shock that almost made her collapse. Although she loved her son, because of the difficult road and poor health, since Quynh was arrested, she had not had the opportunity to visit him. Therefore, the first instance trial on October 10, 2019 was an opportunity for her and her relatives to meet Quynh. They rented a 16-seat car to go to Nghe An Provincial People's Court to attend the trial of Quynh and his accomplices for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking".

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh T burst into tears when she saw her son in court. Photo: Tran Vu

As soon as she saw her son in court, Mrs. T. cried out loud. The emotion made the mother unable to control herself. In the courtroom, she tried to press her lips together to keep from crying out loud. Sometimes she bent down, her arms draped over the empty seats, her shoulders shaking.

In front of the witness stand, Quynh confessed her crime. According to Quynh's testimony, around June 2018, the defendant met a man named Nhat, residing in Nui Thanh district (Quang Nam). On February 24, 2019, Quynh was asked by Nhat to meet in the Tam Ky beach area to ask for a job. Nhat said that he would soon ask Quynh to take money to Nghe An to get drugs. If he agreed, he would give 20 million VND, so Quynh accepted.

At around 2:00 p.m. on February 26, 2019, Nhat met Quynh and gave her 205 million VND to go to Nghe An to get the "goods". Before leaving, Nhat gave Quynh another 3 million VND for travel expenses. At around 11:00 a.m. on February 27, 2019, after arriving in Hoa Binh town, Tuong Duong district, Quynh immediately informed Nhat. Then, Nhat sent the phone number of Vy Thi Hong (35 years old, residing in Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district) to Quynh (because before that, Nhat and Hong had discussed and agreed to buy and sell drugs). Hong told Nhat to stay at the hotel and come to receive the "goods" in the evening. At around 7:00 p.m. the same day, Hong asked her sister to pick Quynh up at the hotel. After that, Hong continued to ask her husband to take her to Hoa Binh town for a pregnancy check-up but in fact, she was selling drugs.

Defendant Ho Duc Quynh bowed his head in court. Photo: Tran Vu

While her husband went into the house to get the motorbike, Hong walked to the village entrance to get the bag of drugs hidden in the bushes by the roadside and put it on her person. When they reached Cua Rao village, Xa Luong commune, Hong told her husband to stop the car, secretly hid the drugs by the roadside, and then waited for Quynh to come. A few minutes later, the younger sister waited for Quynh to come to where Hong was waiting. When there were only two people left, the two sides carried out the drug transaction. After that, Quynh took a taxi to the bus station to return to Quang Nam.

At around 00:25 on February 28, 2019, when the car reached My Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, the police stopped the car for inspection and discovered a leather bag containing drugs weighing 420.295 grams under the passenger seat where Quynh was sitting. Based on Quynh's testimony, the investigation agency arrested Vy Thi Hong.

The old mother cried throughout the trial.

Vy Thi Hong and Ho Duc Quynh were both prosecuted for “Illegal drug trafficking”. In court, the two defendants admitted all their crimes. When asked by the judge: “What is the reason why you committed the crime at such a young age?”, Quynh answered that it was because of “debt”. The defendant did not specify the amount of money she owed and what it was related to, but only stated that because of debt and poverty, when Nhat hired her to go to Nghe An to receive drugs, she agreed.

Quynh said she was not a drug addict so she did not know “what that substance was like”. The defendant only followed Nhat’s instructions, took the money to Nghe An, and then brought the drugs back, when she was arrested. Each statement from her son made the mother sitting below unable to control herself. She cried continuously, sometimes even slapping her chest in despair.

Ms. T., the mother of defendant Quynh, could not keep calm when her son was sentenced. Photo: Tran Vu

A lifetime of hard work, taking care of her children, but when her hair gradually turned gray, that mother suffered a great shock. She could only cry and torment herself. Even though she was allowed to see her son during the sentencing, that mother was not calm enough to tell him anything.

Seeing her mother crying, Quynh’s eyes were also red. Quynh apologized to her mother with sobs. Seeing her son in tears, Mrs. T. lay on the chair, crying bitterly. For the crime of “Illegal drug trafficking”, Ho Duc Quynh was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Meanwhile, his accomplice Vy Thi Hong was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

The son was led into the covered truck, but the mother kept running after him, crying uncontrollably. The relatives who were with her had to help her leave, all with tears in their eyes.