The 4.6 billion VND drug bust by a kingpin in Vinh City.
(Baonghean.vn) - Following Hung's instructions, three of his subordinates brought 4.6 billion VND to the area near Thanh Thuy border gate (Thanh Chuong) to buy more than 46 kg of drugs.
On December 16th, the Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial to hear the cases of defendants Nguyen Phi Hung (born 1978), Le Hong Hai (born 1977), Le Ba Thao (born 1980), all residing in Vinh City, and Lau Ba Chong (born 1995, residing in Muong Tip commune, Ky Son district), on charges of...Illegal trafficking of narcoticsIn addition, defendants Hung and Hai were also prosecuted for the crime of illegally possessing narcotics.
According to investigative documents, around April 2019, Chống met a man named Dềnh (a Laotian national). Dềnh claimed to have sold drugs to Nguyễn Phi Hùng and offered Chống the job of collecting the proceeds from the drug sales.
After contacting each other, on the evening of July 2, 2019, Hung gave Chong $200,000 (over 4.6 billion VND) to pay Denh for the drugs and 50 million VND as payment. Then, Hung called Le Hong Hai and hired him to transport the drugs to the Ho Chi Minh Highway area near the intersection in Thanh Thuy commune, Thanh Chuong district.
While en route, Hung called and instructed Thao to take a detour through Ha Tinh, arranging to meet on the Ho Chi Minh Trail near the Thanh Thuy intersection.
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| Defendant Hung (in gray shirt) and his accomplices at the court. Photo: Tran Vu |
At 3:00 AM on July 3, 2020, Hung, Hai, and Thao met at a trail. Upon reaching Thanh Thuy commune, three cars parked by the roadside. Chong opened the car door, carrying a backpack containing money, and ran up the hill. Shortly afterward, several Laotian individuals ran down and placed drugs into Hung and his accomplices' car.
After receiving the drugs, the suspects returned to Vinh City. When the three cars arrived at the area of National Highway 46B in Hamlet 8, Thanh Thuy Commune, they were apprehended by the police, who seized various types of drugs totaling over 46 kg.
Additionally, during a search of Hung's residence, the police seized 2,875 grams of marijuana. At Hai's house, they confiscated 1,445 grams of narcotics.
Investigators determined that Hung was the mastermind and leader of a sophisticated transnational drug trafficking ring operating from Laos to Vietnam. Therefore, Hung bears the primary responsibility.
Lầu Bá Chống has been identified as an active participant in the case. Lê Hồng Hải and Lê Bá Thao played active roles, directly using the car to receive and transport the drugs for Hùng.
In court, while the three defendants Thao, Hai, and Chong admitted to their crimes, Hung was evasive and denied guilt. However, based on the defendants' testimonies and the collected evidence, there was sufficient proof to demonstrate Hung's criminal conduct.
Given the exceptionally large quantity of drugs seized, the court sentenced Nguyen Phi Hung, Le Hong Hai, and Lau Ba Chong to death, and Le Ba Thao to life imprisonment.