18 years in prison for taxi driver possessing drugs

(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of October 28, the Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial to try the case of illegal possession of drugs against Cao Xuan Tho (born in 1968), residing in Doi Cung ward, Vinh city.

In 1992, Cao Xuan Tho was sentenced by the People's Court of Quang Binh province to 2 years and 6 months in prison for theft of citizens' property. In 1998, Tho was sentenced by the People's Court of Nghe An province to 4 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking. In 2002, the defendant was sentenced by the People's Court of Ha Tinh province to 15 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking. Cao Xuan Tho had his sentence reduced and was released early in 2014.

Cao Xuan Tho at court.

After being released from prison, Tho earned a living by driving a taxi. At around 11:40 p.m. on May 30, 2016, on Vo Nguyen Hien Street (Truong Thi Ward, Vinh City), the Mobile Police Team in coordination with the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department of the Provincial Police stopped a taxi with license plate 37A-231.xx driven by Cao Xuan Tho.

Upon checking Tho, the police found 3 packages of synthetic drugs in his pants pocket. In the trunk of the taxi, there were 10 packages of crystal meth hidden in a box of green tea and an electronic scale. The task force made a record of Cao Xuan Tho's arrest.

During the investigation, Tho confessed that at around 11pm on May 30, 2016, he was driving a taxi out of Vinh station when a young man (whose identity was not determined) took a taxi to Dang Thai Mai street. When he arrived at the destination, this man put a box of tea in the trunk of the car and gave Tho 3 plastic bags, which Tho put in his pocket. The passenger got out of the car and told Tho to wait 30 minutes and return. When the young man left, Tho drove back to his motel. When he turned back to pick up the young man, he was discovered and arrested by the police.

The total amount of synthetic drugs (methamphetamine) seized from Tho's person and vehicle weighed 255 grams. Considering the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the panel sentenced Cao Xuan Tho to 18 years in prison for illegal possession of drugs.

Nhu Binh