Transporting 'goods' for a mysterious customer, the young man buried his life behind bars

Tran Vu• DNUM_BGZAHZCACB 09:40

(Baonghean.vn) - Being hired by a person to transport drugs and being paid 5 million VND, Sam Van Cuong immediately agreed. In the end, Cuong was sentenced to an indefinite prison term, while the person who hired Cuong has not yet been identified by the investigation agency.

On July 15, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of defendant Sam Van Cuong (born 1990), residing in Muong Noc commune, Que Phong district, for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking”.

The case file shows that around the beginning of 2020, Sam Van Cuong met a man named Ho in Tri Le commune, Que Phong district. Ho told Cuong that he had drugs and wanted to hire him to transport them. With the promise of being paid 5 million VND, Cuong agreed.

As scheduled, on the morning of January 12, 2021, Cuong drove a motorbike to Muong Long village, Tri Le commune, took 1 cake of drugs (weighing 351.03 grams) and 62 packages of drugs (total weight of more than 1,206 grams) from under a rock on the side of the road to transport to Sang Le intersection, Tam Hop commune, Quy Hop district. At 7:00 p.m. the same day, Sam Van Cuong was arrested by the police, and a check in the trunk of the motorbike found many packages of drugs.

Defendant Sam Van Cuong. Photo: Tran Vu

The investigation agency determined that the total amount of drugs for which Sam Van Cuong must bear criminal responsibility was more than 1,557 grams.

At the trial, the defendant admitted to transporting drugs for money. Regarding the man named Ho, the defendant said he only knew him by chance and did not know his background or specific address.

"The defendant is young and inexperienced. I ask the court to consider leniency so that I can soon have a chance to start my life over and repay my parents," the defendant stated in his final statement.

Considering the aggravating and mitigating circumstances in the case, the panel sentenced Sam Van Cuong to life in prison. Regarding the man named Ho, according to the defendant's testimony, the investigation agency has conducted verification but in Tri Le commune there is no one like the defendant Cuong claimed, so there is no basis for investigation and handling.