Six defendants involved in Việt Nam’s biggest drug trafficking case were sentenced to death yesterday by the People’s Court of the northern Quảng Ninh Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Việt Hùng |
QUẢNG NINH — The People’s Court of Quảng Ninh Province yesterday sentenced to death six defendants in a drug trafficking ring, which involved the trade of more than 5,000 heroin cakes.
Hoàng Văn Tiến, leader of the ring, was charged with illegally trading heroin and possessing military weapons.
Five other defendants - Bùi Đăng Đức, Trần Đức Việt, Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Hạnh, Nguyễn Toàn Thắng and Hoàng Văn Bắc - were charged with illegally trading and transporting heroin.
A verdict of life imprisonment was imposed on six other defendants - Trần Thu Hằng, Lương Thị Thảo, Nguyễn Tuấn Anh, Nguyễn Thị Hương, Nguyễn Thị Hoa, Nguyễn Mạnh Toàn.
The remaining defendants were sentenced to terms of two to 22 years in prison and subjected to fines of VNĐ10-22 million.
In the first phase of the trial in January 2014, the court sentenced 30 of the 89 defendants to death and 13 others to life imprisonment.
During the 2003-13 period, Hoàng Văn Tiến and his partners in crime traded more than 5,300 heroin cakes weighing some 870kg in total, some 35,000 synthetic drug tablets and 1,100 grams of crystal meth.
The case is considered the biggest drug trafficking case in Việt Nam’s history. — VNS