Following in his father's footsteps, son receives death sentence for drug use.

Father sentenced to death, son still pursues drugs.

Quang Van Toan was born into a family where his father had a criminal record. In 2004, Quang Van A., Toan's father, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for "illegally trafficking narcotics." After serving his sentence, A. reoffended. In late December 2017, Quang Van A. was arrested by authorities while illegally transporting nearly 10 kg of various types of drugs from Ky Son district to Vinh city for a fee of 30 million VND. Notably, Quang Van Toan was also a passenger in his father's car during the drug transport. Toan was determined to be unrelated to the case and therefore did not face legal consequences, while his father was sentenced to death.

Since his father's arrest and death sentence, Toan has occasionally visited him in prison. During these visits, his father repeatedly advised him to learn from his own experiences and not to make the same mistakes. More than anyone else, Toan understood the strictness of the law if he became involved with drugs. Yet, this son still fell into the wrong path.

According to the case file, while working in Laos, Toan became acquainted with a man named Ba (whose background and address are unknown). In early November 2022, after Toan had returned to Vietnam, he received a phone call from Ba, who hired him to transport drugs, promising him 10 million VND as payment upon completion. Toan agreed to the offer.

On the evening of December 1, 2022, Ba called and instructed Toan to go to a landmark marked with a tree branch on National Highway 7, in Chieu Luu commune, Ky Son district, to retrieve drugs. Toan followed the instructions of the aforementioned Lao national and obtained 8 blocks of heroin, which he then hid in a fence near his house. At over 2:00 AM on December 5, also following Ba's instructions, Quang Van Toan took 4 blocks of heroin to deliver to a woman waiting near the defendant's house. Toan was caught red-handed by the police while carrying the drugs to find a customer.

During the arrest, Toan confessed to having more drugs hidden in his house, so the police seized the remaining heroin packages. The investigating agency determined that Quang Van Toan is criminally responsible for transporting nearly 2.8 kg of drugs.

Appropriate sentence

On June 19th, the People's Court of Nghe An province held a first-instance trial to hear the case against Quang Van Toan (25 years old), residing in Chieu Luu commune, Ky Son district, for the crime of "illegally transporting narcotics".

Amidst the sweltering heat and the gusty winds from Laos, the atmosphere in the courtroom became even more stifling. Taking advantage of the lull in court proceedings, Moong Thi H., Toan's wife, brought her two young children, one 3 years old and the other 5 years old, inside to get a better look at their father. But the two young children, not understanding what was happening, played innocently. After getting tired of playing, the younger boy fell asleep in his mother's arms, oblivious to Toan's frantic calls from above.

At the trial, before the witness stand, Quang Van Toan admitted that he agreed to transport drugs for hire, despite knowing it was against the law, because he was greedy for 10 million dong. Facing the death penalty recommendation from the representative of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province, the defendant presented his impoverished circumstances, his status as a member of an ethnic minority group, and his two young children, pleading for a chance at life.

Next, the defendant turned to apologize to his family, especially his wife and children. Facing his wife and children, he admitted that he had failed to fulfill his duties as a husband and father. He explained that he had previously been imprisoned for gambling. His unstable job and involvement in gambling had led to a decline in his financial situation.

The defendant testified that he had previously worked as a laborer in Laos, then in a brick kiln. His salary was nearly ten million dong per month; if he had saved wisely, he could have provided for his wife and children. However, due to gambling, Toan squandered all his money. In his desperation, he resorted to reckless actions.

Considering that the defendant's criminal act is dangerous to society, infringes upon the State's monopoly policy on the management of narcotic substances, disrupts public order and security in the area, increases the number of drug addicts, and affects people's lives and health; and that the defendant's criminal act is also a root cause of social evils and gives rise to other types of crimes, therefore, the court sentences Quang Van Toan to death for the crime of "Illegal trafficking of narcotics"

Family tragedy

Speaking of Toan's wife, since her husband's arrest, in order to provide for their children financially, she has had to send the children to relatives to work as a hired laborer. Lacking the love and care of both parents, the two children are quite thin.

A relative attending the trial was sobbing, heartbroken for the young children. The person choked out, "Their father is in prison, and their mother, due to circumstances, had to send the two children to me to raise while she went to work. The two brothers are so young that they think I'm their mother. Poor things..."

Because their father was away working for long periods and then arrested and detained, the children's relationship with him was quite strained. Therefore, when the court adjourned for deliberation, with the permission of the court security, the two children appeared quite indifferent to their father while their mother burst into tears. Despite being instructed to call him "Dad," the two children were quite shy. Looking at his children, Toan continuously wiped away his tears. The defendant choked up as he instructed his children to "stay home and listen to Mom." Only when the court was about to adjourn for deliberation did the eldest child bravely call out, "Dad!" Toan covered his face with his hands and wept, tears of regret and sorrow, though belatedly.

Before the court announced the verdict, Toan choked back tears as he instructed his wife to raise their children well. "Tell the children not to be like their father," Toan told his young wife. Hearing her husband's words, Ms. H. wept continuously in helplessness.

Having received the harshest sentence, Toan quickly turned around to look at his wife and two children. Below, his young wife, with one arm cradling the youngest child and the other holding the hand of her older child, hurried after him, tears streaming down her face…

The courthouse yard was bathed in scorching sun, and the sight of the young woman holding her child and weeping evoked pity in many. If only Toan had learned a valuable lesson from his father's experience, this wouldn't have happened, but it was too late.

Because of drugs, Quang Van Toan was sentenced to death, his wife lost her husband, his children lost their father, and the family lost the breadwinner who should have been their pillar of support. Hopefully, this family tragedy will serve as a cautionary tale for those who deliberately violate the law and trade in deadly drugs – sooner or later, they will pay a heavy price.

Tran Vu - Dang Nguyen