Husband and wife both in jail for selling 'ke' to drug addicts

Selling "ke" to partygoers in karaoke bars

Recently, the People's Court of Nghe An province brought the defendants Nguyen Duc Quan (31 years old) and Hoang Thi Ngoc Quyen (32 years old), both residing in Le Loi ward, Vinh city, to trial for the crime of "Illegal trading of narcotics". Not long before, Quyen was also tried for selling drugs to a group of young men and women "flying and shaking" at a famous villa in Cua Hoi.

In this trial, the couple's accomplice also included defendant Dang Thi Thuy Linh (25 years old), residing in Tung Chau commune, Duc Tho district (Ha Tinh). Separately, the two defendants Tran Hai Duong (36 years old), residing in Vinh city and Dau Thi Chi (34 years old), residing in Dien Thanh commune, Dien Chau district were prosecuted for the crime of "Organizing illegal use of narcotics".drug”.

Nguyen Duc Quan and Hoang Thi Ngoc Quyen are husband and wife. They came together after both had experienced a broken marriage and had children. After their "rekindled" relationship, they had a child together. Quyen said she made a living as a freelancer and online trader. But in fact, that was just a cover for this woman to illegally buy and sell drugs.

The two defendants Nguyen Duc Quan and Hoang Thi Ngoc Quyen in court. Photo: Tran Vu

According to the indictment as well as the defendant's testimony at the trial, late at night on January 1, 2022 (the first day of the New Year), Quyen received a phone call to order a Ketamine "shirt" from a female employee of a karaoke bar in Nghi Thai commune, Nghi Loc district named Dang Thi Thuy Linh. Before that, Linh was asked by a customer named Tran Hai Duong to buy drugs for the group to use in the singing room.

Quyen offered a price of 1.3 million VND and asked for the money to be transferred first to her husband Nguyen Duc Quan's account. After the customer transferred the money, Quyen personally delivered the drugs to Linh. Linh gave the drugs to the customer. After that, Duong told a female employee of another karaoke bar, Dau Thi Chi, to "stir-fry" the "ke" drugs - to make them smooth, creating a line for people to inhale.

The group played until 0:30 the next day, when Duong asked Linh to buy another Ketamine "shirt" to "fly". Linh continued to contact Quyen to buy drugs. This time, Quan brought the drugs to deliver to the customer. When Linh had just received the drugs, the police raided and checked, discovering 11 subjects using drugs. Taking advantage of the time when she went to the toilet, Linh put the drugs in the toilet and flushed it.

"Old habits die hard"

Based on the statements of the subjects, the investigation agency issued an emergency detention order and searched the residence of Nguyen Duc Quan and Hoang Thi Ngoc Quyen, confiscating 14 plastic bags containing drugs and many drug pills. The investigation agency determined that in this case, Quan, Quyen, and Linh sold drugs to the subjects 4 times.

At the time of her arrest, Hoang Thi Ngoc Quyen was placed under house arrest because she was raising a young child. Instead of repenting, during this time, Quyen participated in another drug trafficking case and was arrested on April 4, 2022.

Defendant Quyen cried many times in court. Photo: Tran Vu

Specifically, a group of people who were “flying” at a famous villa in Cua Hoi contacted Quyen to buy drugs. Quyen sold 8 “candies” (i.e. drugs) to the subjects for 9 million VND.

After “stirring up the ke”, the group got high at the villa to the loud music. While the subjects were “high” on drugs, Nghe An police raided and caught them red-handed. On the same day, the investigation agency issued an emergency detention order for Hoang Thi Ngoc Quyen. In this case, the Provincial People’s Court has just sentenced Quyen to 2 years in prison.

Price

The second time standing before the witness stand, defendant Quyen admitted to the crime. The female defendant stated that she and her husband sold drugs for the subjects in the karaoke bar to use. The defendant presented her difficult circumstances, both husband and wife are currently in trouble with the law, and their children are still young, asking the court to consider reducing the sentence.

Appearing in court with his wife, defendant Quan admitted that he had traded drugs because of “greed” and asked for a lighter sentence so that he could return to his children as soon as possible when both he and his wife were in prison.

Prosecuted for the crime of “Organizing illegal use of drugs”, defendant Duong stated: “That day, because I had consumed alcohol and was drunk, I wanted to try the feeling of drugs. I am not addicted”. “So did you know that your actions were against the law?”, when questioned by the court, Duong bowed his head and admitted that he knew.

As the person who directly “mixed the ke” for customers to use, defendant Chi stated that as a service employee, he listened to the customer’s request. The defendant expressed remorse and asked the court to reduce his sentence so that he could return home to take care of his children. “The defendant is divorced, and currently his two children are being cared for by relatives. I ask the court to consider reducing his sentence,” defendant Chi stated.

The defendants in the case appear in court. Photo: Tran Vu

In the presence of a large number of people at the trial, the panel of judges reminded everyone of the provisions of the law on drug-related crimes. Drugs are the source of all other crimes. Many cases, even murders, stem from "hallucinations" after using drugs. The recent incidents of young people "flying high" in karaoke bars or motels, even high-end resorts, have sounded the alarm about this type of crime for the younger generation. Therefore, the defendants' acts of buying, selling and organizing illegal use of drugs need to be strictly handled to have a deterrent, educational and general prevention effect.

In this case, defendant Duong was the one who initiated many other subjects to use drugs, so he was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison. The two defendants Hoang Thi Ngoc Quyen and Dang Thi Thuy Linh were each sentenced to 7 years in prison; defendant Nguyen Duc Quan was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison; and the female employee "xao ke" Dau Thi Chi was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Both husband and wife received higher sentences than their accomplices, causing Quyen to shed tears many times. Because of greed and disregard for the law, this young woman had committed the crime of illegal drug trafficking twice. Both parents were in prison, and now the children are the ones who suffer the most.

“Ke” is used by smoking directly or mixing it with strong alcohol or drinks and is destructive to health and money. Long-term use of “ke” and “crystal” drugs can easily lead to mental disorders.