Authorities inspect a shipment of narcotics concealed inside toothpaste tubes seized from the luggage of four flight attendants in March 2023. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The trial of a major drug smuggling gang, uncovered after four flight attendants were unknowingly used to transport narcotics from France to Việt Nam hidden in tubes of toothpaste, will begin in HCM City in August.

The HCM City People's Court has scheduled the first-instance trial to start on August 17 with 227 defendants in the dock accused of a number of charges related to the smuggling of ketamine and MDMA.

The case is one of the largest drug prosecutions in Việt Nam and is expected to run until September 12.

The trial will be conducted publicly in an online format, with the main courtroom located at the HCM City People's Court headquarters on Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa Street and a remote venue at Chí Hòa Detention Centre (T30), under the HCM City Police Department.

The trial panel will be chaired by Judge Vũ Thanh Lâm, alongside Judge Trần Minh Châu and three lay assessors.

The HCM City People's Procuracy has assigned multiple prosecutors to present the prosecution's case and supervise legal proceedings throughout the trial.

Under the indictment, Hoàng Sỹ Thắng and Bùi Văn Anh are charged with illegally transporting narcotic substances. The remaining defendants face charges including illegal trading, possession and transportation of narcotic substances, organising the illegal use of drugs, and failing to report crimes under the 2015 Penal Code, as amended in 2017.

The investigation stemmed from the discovery of 327 toothpaste tubes containing more than 11 kilogrammes of narcotics in the luggage of four flight attendants arriving at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport from France in March 2023.

Investigators concluded that the flight attendants had merely agreed to carry luggage for others and were unaware that it contained drugs. As a result, they were not subject to criminal prosecution.

The case subsequently prompted the Ministry of Public Security and HCM City Police to launch a broader investigation, dismantling multiple transnational drug trafficking networks and leading to the prosecution of hundreds of suspects.

According to the indictment issued by the Supreme People's Procuracy, Hoàng Sỹ Thắng was identified as the ringleader of a network that smuggled drugs from France into Việt Nam.

The organisation employed sophisticated methods to conceal narcotics in toothpaste tubes, cosmetics and other consumer goods before transporting them to Việt Nam by air or through international courier services.

Once the shipments arrived, the drugs were distributed to multiple recipients in HCM City and other localities, forming an extensive network involved in the trafficking, transportation, storage and organised use of illegal drugs.

Prosecutors said many of the 227 defendants played leadership or managerial roles within different branches of the network, while others acted as accomplices responsible for transporting, storing, distributing or organising the illegal use of narcotics.

One defendant, Nguyễn Văn Định, remains at large and has been placed on the wanted list. His case has been separated for trial at a later date.

To ensure the defendants' right to legal representation, the court has summoned 95 defence lawyers and 18 individuals with related rights and obligations to participate in the proceedings.

Given the exceptionally large number of defendants, lawyers and other participants, the court said holding the proceedings online would help ensure security and safety while allowing the case to be handled efficiently and in accordance with the law. — VNS