Nghe An Court sentences drug addict for 'keeping' guns, bullets and a large amount of heroin on his person
Addicted to drugs, Ha spent 3 million to buy opium for gradual use. At the time of his arrest, the police discovered a gun and 9 bullets in Ha's belongings.
On September 21, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a criminal appeal trial of Nguyen Hai Ha (born 1985), residing in Xuan Lam commune, Hung Nguyen district, for the crime of“Illegal possession of drugs”.
Nguyen Hai Ha is a person with a bad personal history. In 2004, Ha was sentenced to 12 months of non-custodial reform for the crime of Receiving property obtained by another person through criminal means. In 2010, Ha was sentenced to 15 months in prison for the crime of Theft of property. In 2017, Ha was again administratively sanctioned by the Vinh City People's Court and sent to a compulsory drug rehabilitation facility.
After serving his sentence, Ha continued to be addicted.drugAlso because of addiction, on April 15, 2020, Ha called a man named Tai (unknown background and address) to buy 3 million VND worth of heroin. Tai agreed to meet at Big C supermarket in Vinh city to receive the goods. At the meeting point, Ha was given heroin and a package of crystal meth by the seller.
 |
| Defendant Nguyen Hai Ha in court. Photo: Tran Vu |
On the evening of April 16, while Ha was driving a car carrying a friend to Hong Bang Street, Vinh City, he was caught red-handed by the police with evidence of 111 pink pills (10.600 grams of drugs) and 0.620 grams of Ketamine.
In addition, the police also discovered in Ha's suitcase containing clothes a gun and 9 bullets (2 bullets were military weapons, 7 were used for rubber bullet guns). Ha said he bought the gun and bullets for 19 million VND for his own use. The authorities have conductedadministrative penaltyfor Nguyen Hai Ha.
The court of first instance later sentenced Nguyen Hai Ha to 7 years in prison for illegal possession of narcotics. Believing that the sentence was too harsh, the defendant filed an appeal for a lighter sentence. In court, giving the reason for the reduced sentence, defendant Ha stated that his mother had contributed to the cause of education and had joined the army.
“The defendant’s family is short of people, only mother and son live together. I ask the court to reduce the sentence so that I can return home soon to take care of my mother,” the defendant stated. The panel of judges said that the defendant’s dangerous recidivism showed contempt for the law.
At the end of the trial, the appellate panel found that the defendant's appeal was well-founded and sentenced Nguyen Hai Ha to 6 years in prison for illegal possession of narcotics.