Man sentenced to life imprisonment for possessing gun and grenades while trafficking drugs.

On August 20th, the Provincial People's Court held a first-instance criminal trial to hear the case against Va Tong Cu (born in 1978), residing in Muong Long commune, Ky Son district, for the crimes of "Illegal trafficking of narcotics" and "Illegal possession of military weapons".

According to the indictment, at approximately 6 PM on February 14th, Lau Xu (a Laotian national) came to Tong Cu's house to ask for his help in selling drugs. Each block of heroin was priced at 130 million dong, and Tong Cu could sell it for 140 million dong, with the profit being considered Lau Xu's payment. Xu would collect his capital once the drugs were sold.

Defendant Va Tong Cu at the trial. Photo: Nhu Binh

Xu handed Tong Cu 3 blocks of heroin, 360 ecstasy pills, 1 gun, 5 bullets, and 1 grenade. Xu instructed Tong Cu to use the ecstasy pills as a promotional item for customers buying heroin, and to sell them individually for 25,000 dong per pill. The gun and grenade were for self-defense and to protect the drugs.

And Tong Cu hid the drugs and weapons in his house, waiting for an opportunity to sell them. At 4:00 AM on February 25th, a task force from the Nam Can Border Guard Post (Nghe An Border Guard Command) coordinated with the Ky Son District Police and Nghe An Customs to inspect and discover all the drugs and weapons that Tong Cu had hidden in his house.

At the trial, Va Tong Cu admitted to his crimes as charged in the indictment. After considering all aspects of the case, the court sentenced Va Tong Cu to life imprisonment for "Illegal trafficking of narcotics" and 3 years imprisonment for "Illegal possession of military weapons". Combining the sentences, Va Tong Cu will serve a total sentence of life imprisonment.