Jailed for drug trafficking
(Baonghean.vn) -From a gentle young man, Hiep was drawn into bad company and became a link in a trans-Vietnam drug ring.
On June 25, 2013, the People's Court of Nghe An province sentenced Truong Van Hiep (born in 1984), residing in Hang Bo ward, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi, to life in prison for illegally transporting narcotics. Accomplice Nguyen Van Mai (born in 1989), residing in Nam Trung commune, Nam Dan district, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Subjects Truong Van Hiep and Nguyen Van Mai in the dock
The trial process made it clear that Hiep was a gentle young man with no criminal record. After getting acquainted with a bad young man at a drinking party, Hiep was invited by this person to transport drugs from Nghe An to Ho Chi Minh City.
On the night of October 13, 2012, after receiving orders from a contact in Hanoi, Hiep jumped on a train to Vinh city and contacted a man named Le Khac Tuong (also known as Tuong Beo), residing in Khanh Son commune, Nam Dan district, to receive drugs.
The next day, Tuong and Nguyen Van Mai took Hiep to receive the white goods at the dike of Hung Lam commune, Hung Nguyen district. After receiving the sack containing drugs, Tuong handed it over to Mai and Hiep and told them to take him back to Vinh where they would get money, "if they see the police, throw away the goods and run".
Listening to Tuong, Hiep and Mai rode a motorbike to deliver the goods to Vinh. When they reached the railway crossing National Highway 46 in Cua Nam Ward, Vinh City, they were both caught red-handed by undercover police.
When he saw the two men carrying the goods being arrested, Tuong quickly ran away.
At the trial on June 25, the jury determined that Hiep was an important link in the drug ring. The amount of drugs he carried was large enough to warrant a death sentence. However, after being arrested, Hiep confessed honestly and helped the authorities solve another major case, so his sentence was recommended to be reduced. As for Nguyen Van Mai, although he only worked as a "xe om" for Hiep, the authorities determined that he was an accomplice of Tuong and Hiep in this drug ring.
In this case, Le Khac Tuong has fled, the investigation agency is issuing a nationwide wanted warrant.
Ha Linh (SVTT)
