Life sentence for drug dealer

(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of July 29, the Supreme People's Court held a trial at the headquarters of the People's Court of Cua Lo town. The case of Nguyen Thi Hai Huong and her accomplices for the crime of illegal drug trafficking was brought to the second instance trial following the appeal of the defendants.

The defendants who appealed in the case include: Le Thi Kim Lien (residing in Dong Vinh ward, Vinh city) and Hoang Van Yen (residing in Thanh Long commune, Thanh Chuong district). According to the indictment, at around 7:00 p.m. on March 9, 2013, on National Highway 46 (in Hung Chinh commune, Vinh city), the Vinh City Police Department's anti-drug police team inspected a car driven by Dang Thi Hai Huong, when Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc suddenly opened the car door and ran away with a black leather bag. The task force immediately arrested Ngoc and seized 2 heroin bars in the leather bag that Ngoc was carrying. Immediately afterwards, Huong and Ngoc were taken to Vinh City Police Department headquarters for investigation. At the police station, Huong confessed to all acts of illegal drug trafficking and transportation.

Defendant Yen at trial

On the morning of March 8, 2013, Huong met Le Thi Kim Lien at a coffee shop and was invited by Lien to find a source to buy drugs to sell. Because of their relationship and knowing that Hoang Van Yen was buying and selling drugs, Huong immediately called to discuss buying drugs. On the morning of March 9, Yen informed Huong that he had the "goods" and made an appointment to pick them up that afternoon. Huong "ordered" 2 heroin cakes at the agreed price of 8,000 USD/cake. Next, Huong called Lien to prepare money to go get the "goods", while Huong borrowed 100 million VND from an acquaintance to pool capital with Lien to "hit the jackpot" this time. At 4:00 p.m. that day, knowing that her mother was preparing to go to Thanh Chuong district, Ngoc asked to go with her and Huong agreed.

When they met, Lien gave 2,000 USD and 100 million VND from Huong to buy drugs. Then, Huong drove straight to Yen's house in Thanh Chuong district and the two bought and sold 2 heroin cakes (weighing 718.30g). After getting the "goods", Huong drove the car for a while, stopped, took 2 heroin cakes, put them in her leather bag, put them between Huong and Ngoc's seats and continued driving. Ngoc knew her mother was involved in illegal drug trafficking, but still hugged the bag around her neck. At 7:00 p.m. the same day, when the car arrived at Hung Chinh commune (Vinh city), it was checked and arrested by Vinh city police.

Expanding the investigation, the Vinh City Police Department arrested and urgently searched Le Thi Kim Lien and Hoang Van Yen, but Yen had fled. During the search at Yen's house, the police seized 1 bag of heroin (143.015g), 1 electronic scale, 181 million VND, 9,300 USD. Yen, while on the run, was arrested by Dong Nai Province Police. At the investigation agency, Yen confessed that he bought 2 heroin cakes from a Laotian (unknown address) for sale and use.

At the first instance trial, on the afternoon of April 1, 2014, the People's Court of Nghe An province sentenced defendant Hoang Van Yen to life in prison, defendant Dang Thi Hai Huong to 20 years in prison and Le Thi Kim Lien to 15 years in prison for the same crime of illegal drug trafficking; defendant Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc was sentenced to 1 year and 23 days in prison for the crime of "Concealing a criminal" equal to the period of detention, so she was released in court, so Ngoc did not appeal.

At the appeal hearing, the court found that the crimes of the two defendants were particularly serious, infringing on the state’s monopoly on the management of addictive substances, and negatively affecting society. The mitigating circumstances were considered at the first instance, and there were no new mitigating circumstances, so the panel sentenced defendant Yen to life in prison and Lien to 15 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking as at the first instance.

Khang Hoa