The Late Regret of a Greedy Taxi Driver

As the only child of civil servant parents, Nguyen Huu Tuan (born in 1977), residing in Thanh Duong commune, Thanh Chuong district, was always expected to continue the family tradition. However, Tuan made his relatives sad when he soon fell into social traps.

In 2004, Nguyen Huu Tuan was sentenced by the Hung Nguyen District People's Court to 18 months in prison, but given a suspended sentence and 24 months probation for theft. Witnessing their son in trouble with the law made Mr. Nguyen Huu A. and his wife sad. But then, because they were afraid that their son would fall deeper into the path of crime, they chose their words carefully to encourage and advise their son to be a good person.

In early 2019, through Nguyen Thi Ly (residing in Thanh Khai commune, Thanh Chuong district), Tuan met a woman named Tu in Vinh city. On January 25, Tu called Tuan to discuss hiring her to transport drugs from Vinh city to Ha Tinh.

Evidence of the case (documentary photo)

Because he was busy and could not go, Tuan refused. The woman continued to ask Tuan, "Do you use pink pills? Come to the hotel and give them to me to use." Tuan agreed and drove to Tu to get 5 pink pills and put them in his wallet.

One day later (January 26), Tu called Tuan again to deliver goods from Vinh City to Ha Tinh for 2 million VND. Tuan agreed, following Tu's instructions, went to the hotel reception to meet a male employee to get a "basket of candy" to deliver to Ha Tinh. However, when Tuan just walked out to the hotel lobby, the police rushed in and arrested him. The evidence confiscated were 2 packages of drugs weighing 1,740 grams. When searching Tuan, the police also confiscated 5 more Methamphetamine pills (0.5 grams).

At the trial held at the end of July, Tuan admitted all his crimes. The defendant stated: He knew that the “candy basket” sent to the hotel was actually drugs but still accepted it because of greed.

Tuan mumbled: “As a taxi driver, I earn more or less a million dong a day. Therefore, when I was offered to drive to Ha Tinh, a short distance, for 2 million dong, I agreed.”

The court asked: "How do you feel about what you did?". Tuan answered: "Wrong, I feel guilty towards my parents". "I know I have wronged my family, why did I repeat the crime when I was already tried once before?", the court asked. At this time, Tuan lowered his head and said: "I will repent for the rest of my life".

During the short time he was reunited with his family while the court deliberated, Tuan met his parents, wife and relatives. Perhaps because he was still angry with his husband, his wife, born in 1983, barely said anything but sobbed. Tears of resentment kept rolling down her face.

Defendant Nguyen Huu Tuan at the trial. Photo: Tran Vu

Since her husband was arrested, the wife has been raising three children alone. The youngest is only six years old. Not wanting her children to see their father handcuffed, she did not take them to court. The couple were only a few rows apart, but the wife barely said anything and just cried silently. Seeing his wife sobbing, Tuan lowered his head and remained silent.

But when a relative approached him and offered words of encouragement, Tuan burst into tears. This person told Tuan heartfelt words: “If you are wrong, you must stand up for yourself. Everyone will forgive you. However, you must know how to correct your mistakes. Don’t disappoint everyone anymore. You are old now, so try to reform yourself to make up for your mistakes with your wife, children, and parents.” Hearing those words, Tuan nodded in regret, wiping away his tears with his handcuffed hands.

Born into a well-off family with a good reputation in the locality, Tuan did not become a successful person as his relatives expected. Loving their son, Mr. A and his wife "saved" Tuan many times after his life's failures. Even the car that Tuan used to transport passengers every day was lent by his parents.

But instead of working hard, Tuan continued to stumble, using the “fishing rod” that his parents lent him to commit illegal acts. After Nguyen Huu Tuan was arrested, the investigation agency determined that the car that the defendant used to transport drugs belonged to his mother. This person did not know what Tuan was doing, so the investigation agency returned the car to the family.

For the crime of Illegally transporting drugs, Nguyen Huu Tuan was sentenced to 20 years in prison and 1 year in prison for Illegally possessing drugs. The total sentence that the defendant must receive is 21 years in prison.

Just because of greed for 2 million VND, the taxi driver had to exchange it for 21 years in prison. That was long enough for Tuan to realize that his wrongdoings had caused his family members to be sad. If Nguyen Huu Tuan had thought about his family before agreeing to deliver the "fruit basket" to the customer, perhaps things would have turned out differently.