Nghe An Court sentenced 3 to death in drug trafficking ring of foreign subjects

On July 6, the People's Court of Nghe An province opened the first instance criminal trial of Do Vang (born 1970), Da Xia Tu Vang (born 1996), Vu Chia Xong (born 1997), Di Vang (born 1997), Xom Chay Xia Tu Vang (born 1993), all residing in Bolikhamxay province, Lao PDR, for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking".

According to the investigation agency's documents, on December 16, 2019, Do Vang and Xom Chay Xia Tu Vang traveled from Laos to Vietnam by car to search for and connect with Vietnamese people to buy and sell drugs. When arriving at Cau Treo border gate (Ha Tinh), the two met Di Vang who was on his way to Vietnam to study, so they let him go with them.

Defendants in court. Photo: Tran Vu

On the way, Do Vang told Di Vang, "I'm going to Vietnam to visit but I don't know Vietnamese, so I need you to come along to translate." Di Vang agreed.

That evening, all three were at a hotel in Vinh City. Here, Va Khu Ha (Laotian) called Do Vang to ask him to collect money for a Vietnamese person to buy 30 heroin cakes, 18 kg of crystal meth for 270,000 USD, and would be paid 5,000 USD. Do Vang agreed, so he organized and directed his accomplices to deliver the drugs and receive the money from selling the drugs.

After that, Di Vang went back to Laos to visit his sick mother, while the other two went out. A few days later, Do Vang called Di Vang and asked him to come to Vietnam to translate and would pay from 200 to 500 USD.

On the morning of December 22, the bosses instructed another subject, Tho Vang, to go to Vietnam to deliver drugs. Before leaving, Tho Vang rode a motorbike carrying a backpack containing drugs to meet and asked Da Xia Tu Vang to "bring drugs to Vietnam for customers" and he agreed. After that, the two continued to invite Vu Chia Xong to bring drugs to Vietnam.

When they arrived at the forest in Xay Cham Pon district, Bo Ly Kham Xay province, the subjects left their motorbikes and walked into the forest and found two backpacks containing drugs. Da Xia Tu Vang and Vu Chia Xong each took a backpack containing drugs and followed Tho Vang through the forest to Vietnam.

At about 3:00 a.m. on December 23, in the Ho Chi Minh trail area in Thanh Thuy commune, Thanh Chuong district, when Tho Vang, Da Xia Tu Vang, and Vu Chia Xong were delivering drugs to Vietnamese people, Nghe An police caught them red-handed and seized 3 backpacks containing 17,891.41 grams of drugs and 10,377.73 grams of heroin. During the arrest, Tho Vang and the subjects who received the drugs fled in the car.

On the same day, Nghe An police issued an emergency detention order for Do Vang, Di Vang, and Xom Chay Xia Tu Vang as they were preparing to receive $270,000 in drug proceeds from Laotian subjects.

In court, Di Vang said he only did the translation work so he asked for a lighter sentence. The remaining defendants presented difficult circumstances, had young children, and limited knowledge of Vietnamese law so they asked for a chance to live.

Considering the role of each defendant in the case, the court sentenced 3 defendants: Do Vang, Da Xia Tu Vang, Vu Chia Xong to death; Xom Chay Xia Tu Vang to life in prison; Di Vang to 20 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking. Authorities continue to search for the fugitive subjects.