For the refrigerator, in exchange for 20 years in prison

On June 9, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of defendants Tran Ba ​​Tuan (born 1966), residing in Chau Hong commune, Quy Hop district, and Tran Thanh Hung (born 1977), residing in Tan Xuan commune, Tan Ky district, for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking".

The two defendants in this case both have bad personal records. While Tuan was sentenced to suspended prison terms for "violating labor safety regulations", Hung was sentenced to prison three times for "gambling", "theft of property", and "receiving property obtained by others through criminal acts".

Defendants Tran Ba ​​Tuan and Tran Thanh Hung in court. Photo: Tran Vu

According to the indictment, on June 23, 2021, Tuan went down to meet Hung to go see the mine together. There, because he needed to use drugs, Tuan told Hung to find and buy heroin to use.

The two agreed to go to the house of a woman named Hao (exact address unknown) to buy 500,000 VND worth of drugs. After that, Tuan told Hung that Mrs. Hao wanted to buy 3 cakes of heroin and invited Hung to join.

On July 5, 2021, when Hung came to the house, Tuan took out a heroin cake and said he had bought the "goods" for Ms. Hao. Tuan told Hung to take the drugs to Tan Ky district to sell to Ms. Hao for 310 million VND. If Hung sold it, Tuan promised to buy Hung a new refrigerator.

At 3:00 p.m. the same day, Hung contacted Ms. Hao to deliver the goods. Upon arrival, Hung hid the drugs in the cemetery near Ms. Hao's house.

Afterwards, Ms. Hao did not buy drugs but introduced them to another man. Hung and that man agreed on a selling price of 290 million VND. At around 1:00 p.m. on July 8, 2021, Hung and Tuan drove a car to deliver the goods and were arrested by the police with evidence of 349 grams.drug.

At the trial, the two defendants admitted to their crimes. Both said they traded drugs together out of greed.

After a comprehensive review of the case, the panel sentenced defendants Tran Ba ​​Tuan and Tran Thanh Hung each to 20 years in prison for "Illegal drug trafficking".