Concealing drugs in a bag of cucumbers.
To avoid detection by authorities, Quang Thi Hiep hid the packages of methamphetamine in plastic bags containing cucumbers and bamboo shoots before sending them via passenger bus. Nhi, despite knowing her boyfriend had asked her to pick up the drugs at the bus station, still complied out of greed. Ultimately, the suspects paid the price for their criminal actions.
On March 5th, the Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance trial to hear the cases of the defendants: Vu Chong Po (born in 1973), residing in Tri Le commune, Que Phong district; Quang Thi Hiep (born in 1989), residing in Kim Son town, Que Phong district; Doan Tran Canh (born in 1988), residing in Nghia Hong commune, Nghia Dan district; Pham Thi Thanh Nhi (born in 1995), residing in Nghia Lam commune, Nghia Dan district; and Vy Thi Tuyet (born in 1980), residing in Chau Thon commune, Que Phong district, on charges of "Illegal trafficking of narcotics"
According to the case file, Vu Chong Po was involved in the illegal trafficking of drugs twice. The first time was in October 2023. At that time, Po was commissioned by Vy Thi Tuyet to buy 3 packages of methamphetamine (worth 6 million VND) to sell to others.
After purchasing drugs from a Lao national, on the afternoon of October 6, 2023, Pó delivered the drugs to Tuyết. At noon on October 8, Tuyết was arrested by the police while handing over the drugs to a customer in the Dốc Chuối area, Châu Thôn commune.
Several days later, Pó tried to contact Tuyết repeatedly but was unsuccessful. Suspecting that Tuyết had been kidnapped, Pó changed his phone number and fled into the forest.
However, during this time, the man continued to engage in other drug trafficking activities. Specifically, on May 13, 2024, when Quang Thi Hiep ordered 10 packets of methamphetamine (worth 24 million VND), Po went to meet a Laotian buyer to purchase the drugs.
Hiep ordered the drugs to sell to Doan Tran Canh. They agreed on a price of 45 million VND, and Canh asked his girlfriend, Pham Thi Thanh Nhi, to transfer 33 million VND in advance.
To avoid detection by authorities, on the afternoon of May 15, 2024, Hiep hid 9 packets of methamphetamine in a plastic bag containing cucumbers and bamboo shoots before sending them by passenger bus. He kept the remaining packet of drugs for personal use and retail sale.
That afternoon, Canh told Nhi to go to the bus station in Thai Hoa town to pick up the "goods." Although Nhi knew her boyfriend was asking her to get drugs, she still agreed because she was tempted by the 1 million dong payment.
In the following days, Canh sold the drugs to many addicts, and also kept some for himself and his girlfriend to use.
The investigating agency determined that Vu Chong Po is criminally liable for the illegal trafficking of drugs on two occasions, with a total quantity of over 266 grams.
Quang Thi Hiep is responsible for 204 grams of drugs. Canh and Nhi are responsible for 184 grams of drugs; Tuyet is responsible for 61 grams of drugs.
At the trial, the defendants admitted to the crime. Defendants Hiep and Tuyet testified that they bought drugs from Po even though they knew that such an act was prohibited by law.
Pham Thi Thanh Nhi stated that because she lived with the defendant Canh, she agreed when her boyfriend asked her to get drugs. She admitted that due to addiction, she had used drugs with Canh on several occasions.
After considering the role of each defendant in the case, the panel of judges sentenced Vu Chong Po, Quang Thi Hiep, and Doan Tran Canh each to 20 years in prison. Pham Thi Thanh Nhi was sentenced to 18 years in prison and Vy Thi Tuyet to 16 years in prison, both for the crime of "illegally trading in narcotics".
