The defendants in court. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NAM — The People’s Court of the northern province of Hà Nam on Thursday sentenced three men, including a Laotian national, to death for illegally trafficking 23.5 kg of drugs from Laos to Việt Nam.

Four others, including two Laotian nationals, were sentenced to life imprisonment for the same crime.

According to the indictment, at 5.30pm on December 16, 2022, a task force led by the Ministry of Public Security’s Department of Drug Crime Investigation, in coordination with other units and the Hà Nam Provincial Police, caught several individuals red-handed using illegal drugs in Châu Sơn Ward, Phủ Lý City, Hà Nam Province.

The individuals involved were identified as Nguyễn Văn Sáng, residing in Thanh Châu Ward, Phủ Lý, Xia Xiong, Toua Xiong and Chua Xong, all Laotian nationals.

The police seized numerous pieces of evidence, including six nylon bags containing various types of drugs and related items.

Further investigation led to the arrest of Nguyễn Tuấn Anh, residing in Phương Canh Ward, Nam Từ Liêm District, Hà Nội and Hoàng Phương Thảo, residing in Nguyễn Du Ward, Hai Bà Trưng District also in Hà Nội, on December 18, 2022, for drug trafficking.

The police also searched Tuấn Anh’s residence at Hoàng Văn Thụ Ward, Hoàng Mai District, Hà Nội, where they found and seized three packages of various drugs.

Tuấn Anh confessed to buying the drugs from Sáng and Hoàng Thị Khánh Ly, both residing in Thanh Tuyền Ward, Phủ Lý, Hà Nam Province.

Sáng, Xia Xiong and Tuấn Anh were identified as the masterminds, while Thảo, Ly, Toua Xiong and Chua Xong were accomplices.

Xia Xiong purchased the drugs in Laos and assigned Toua Xiong to transport them to Việt Nam, where they were delivered to Sáng. Xia Xiong also tasked Chua Xong with travelling to Việt Nam to receive the drugs and stay at Sáng’s house to ensure the payment was made.

After receiving the drugs from Xia Xiong, Sáng sold them to Tuấn Anh and Thảo in Hà Nội.

Between September 2022 and December 16, 2022, the group trafficked a total of 23.56 kg of various drugs.

Sáng, Tuấn Anh, and Xia Xiong were given death sentences for illegal drug trafficking under Clause 4, Article 251 of the Penal Code. Additionally, Sáng received a two-year prison sentence for illegal possession of military weapons, with the final punishment being the death penalty.

Toua Xiong, Chua Xong, Thảo and Ly were sentenced to life imprisonment for illegal drug trafficking. — VNS