A foreign man was sentenced to death for accepting money from selling drugs to a 'boss'.

On October 21, at the People's Court of Nghe An province, the High People's Court in Hanoi opened a criminal appeal trial of Do Vang (born 1970) and Xom Xay Xia Tu Vang (born 1993), both residing in Bolikhamxay province, Lao PDR, for the crime ofIllegal drug trafficking.

According to the first instance verdict, on the morning of December 22, 2019, two subjects Da Xia Tu Vang and Vu Chia Xong were invited by a subject named Tho Vang to deliver drugs to Vietnam for customers.

At the same time, Do Vang was hired by the "boss" to go to Vietnam to collect the goods, for a fee of 5,000 USD. Do Vang invited Xom Chay Xìa Tu Vang to go with him in the car. When they arrived at Cau Treo border gate (Ha Tinh), they met Di Vang who was on his way to Vietnam to study, so they let him go along to translate, promising to pay him 200-500 USD.

Two defendants Do Vang (in bright shirt) received the death penalty, Xom Chay Xia Tu Vang received a life sentence. Photo: Tran Vu

At 3am on December 23, when this group of Laotians was delivering drugs to customers, they were discovered by Nghe An police. Da Xia Tu Vang and Vu Chia Xong were caught red-handed with 2 backpacks of drugs (with a total weight of more than 28kg of heroin and crystal meth), while Tho Vang and the group of drug buyers quickly escaped.

On the same day, Do Vang, Di Vang, and Xom Chay Xia Tu Vang were arrested by Nghe An police in a hotel in Vinh City while they were preparing to receive $270,000 for selling drugs to the drug lord.

Considering the role of each defendant in the case, the court of first instance sentenced Do Vang, Da Xia Tu Vang, and Vu Chia Xong to death; Xom Chay Xia Tu Vang to life in prison; and Di Vang to 20 years in prison, also for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking".

Afterwards, Do Vang, Da Xia Tu Vang, Vu Chia Xong, and Xom Chay Xia Tu Vang appealed for a reduction in their sentences.

At the appeal court, the two defendants Da Xia Tu Vang and Vu Chia Xong withdrew their appeals. The remaining two defendants maintained their appeals.

At the appeal court, defendant Do Vang stated that his awareness of Vietnamese law was limited, which led to his crime. He asked the court to give him a chance to live. Defendant Xom Chay Xìa Tu Vang said that in this case he was only the driver for the subjects and did not know about the drug trafficking. He asked for a lighter sentence.

The number of defendants involved was exceptionally large, and the defendants did not present any new details compared to the first instance trial. Therefore, the appellate panel rejected the appeals of the two defendants and upheld the original judgment. Sentenced Do Vang to death and Xom Chay Xìa Tu Vang to life in prison for the crime of Illegal drug trafficking.