Meet the 'descendant' of drug lord 'Tuan the village chief' in prison

(Baonghean.vn)- Being lured by drug lord Lo Van Tuan, the man who is the pillar of the family was dragged into the drug trafficking and transportation ring. A life sentence is the price to pay after sinful shipments.

During a recent working trip to Prison No. 3 (General Department VIII - Ministry of Public Security), it was surprising to learn that one of the right-hand men of the notorious drug lord Lo Van Tuan, who served 12 years as the head of Xop Mat village, Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district, also has the name Lo Van Tuan (born in 1966), residing in Ban Ve, Yen Na commune (Tuong Duong), is serving a life sentence for illegal drug trafficking and transportation. After 12 years in prison, Tuan "son" has truly repented and is hoping that the door to returning to his family will open in the near future.

Lo Van Tuan after 12 years in prison. Photo: Ha Thu

About 20 years ago, when mentioning Lo Van Tuan, the chief of Xop Mat village, everyone knew. Initially, there was admiration for living in the middle of a drug "holy land", this village chief remained steadfast, even when his wife and children fell into white death one after another, village chief Tuan still stood firm. However, when the authorities dismantled the huge drug ring run by Tuan, many people were surprised.

Under the guise of a cadre, Tuan skillfully ran a transnational drug ring. Even the notorious drug lords at that time such as Hai “luan” (Vinh), Le “map”, Tuan “tho” (Ho Chi Minh City), super drug lord Tran Van Hoi (Laos)… all passed through the hands of Lo Van Tuan.

From 1997 to 2002, Nghe An police prosecuted Tuan three times in three different drug cases, but when they arrested him, he had fled into the forest, carrying guns, grenades and other weapons. Carrying three special arrest warrants, this subject continued to operate and supply goods to major drug rings.

To keep this line operating for a long time, Lo Van Tuan cleverly used his henchmen, pulling his brothers, wife, children and acquaintances into the white death trade, and Lo Van Tuan was one of those cases.

Inmate Lo Van Tuan told us that, like many other families, he had only known how to go to the fields and down to the streams to grow rice and catch fish to earn money to support his wife and two young children. The lives of the people of Yen Na and Yen Tinh began to be disrupted by drugs and changed when the Ban Ve Hydropower Plant began construction in 2004.

At that time, the roads were difficult to travel, the roads were difficult to travel, and transportation was mainly by boat or motorboat on the river. Understanding the needs of many workers and people, having little compensation money and knowing how to drive a motorboat, Lo Van Tuan discussed with his wife and children to buy a motorboat to transport passengers and goods on the Nam Non River.

Among the passengers that Tuan transported, there was Tuan, the village chief of Xop Mat. Tuan's life also took a turn from those encounters on the river.

After a few pick-ups, Tuan “village chief” asked Tuan “son” to help transport goods for him, and he would pay 2 million for each trip. Seeing the profit, Lo Van Tuan nodded. The first few trips did not know it was drugs, but when he discovered it later, he was already too deep into it and could not turn back.

Just like that, blinded by money, Tuan “son” often transported goods for Tuan “village chief”. Until the day the boss was arrested, Lo Van Tuan was also quickly arrested after that because Tuan “village chief” confessed. To this day, Tuan still can’t remember how many trips he took on the boat like that.

According to the prisoner records kept at Prison No. 3, Lo Van Tuan, also known as Tuan "son" (to distinguish him from Tuan "village chief") and his accomplices illegally bought, sold, and transported 14,737.8 grams of heroin and 15 kg of opium from the Vietnam-Laos border downstream for consumption.

Lo Van Tuan alone illegally bought and sold 42 heroin cakes, equivalent to 14,280 grams of heroin. For this act, in 2005 Lo Van Tuan was sentenced to life in prison, serving his sentence at Prison No. 3. Currently, this prisoner is serving his sentence at Team 4, Sub-Camp No. 1, with his main occupation being making fake eyelashes.

Up to now, after 12 years of prison food and uniform, Tuan has realized many things, and his life outside has also been disrupted. Tuan's son got married but was not happy and has now left his hometown. His daughter got married and moved to a resettlement area in Thanh Chuong district. In his old hometown, only Tuan's wife remains, still alone with the fields waiting for her husband to return.

Because of the long distance and the family's poverty, his wife only visits him once every 2-3 years. The children have not visited their father since Tuan was sentenced.

Major Nguyen Anh Tuan, Head of the Prison Management Team, Prison No. 3, said: Since being brought to the prison No. 3, prisoner Lo Van Tuan has always complied well with the detention rules and regulations. As one of the prisoners with old age and poor health, the prison management staff always cares and helps him so that the door to return to his family and society can soon open for him./.

Ha Thu