The defendants in court. The Hà Nội People’s Court sentenced three members of a drug gang to death for the illegal trade and trafficking of drugs on Tuesday. — Photo baophapluat.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People’s Court sentenced three members of a drug gang to death for the illegal trade and trafficking of drugs  on Tuesday.

Võ Văn Nam, 46, Ngô Thị Châm, 47, and Chu Toàn Thắng, 31, from Hà Nội were the accused.

Mai Ngọc Diệp, 43, also a resident of Hà Nội, received a jail sentence of 12 years for illegally storing drugs.

According to the indictment, Nam and Châm lived together as husband and wife in Hà Nội’s Long Biên District.

Because their business was operating at loss and they were unable to repay the debts, the couple decided to buy drugs to sell.

Nam and Châm knew Ngô Thị Bích Ngọc, a drug dealer who lived in Laos. On April 5 last year, they ordered 2kg of methamphetamine for a price of VNĐ600 million (US$25,750) per kg from Ngọc.

On April 7, last year, under the direction of Ngọc, Chu Toàn Thắng received 2kg of drugs from an unknown person. Phạm Hải Đăng, Ngoc's cousin, accompanied Thắng to transport the drugs to Châm.

Châm gave Đăng VNĐ460 million. However, it was not enough to pay for the whole shipment so Châm gave Thắng a plastic bag containing 432g of methamphetamine to return to Ngọc.

Later that night, Thắng was caught red-handed with the methamphetamine by Hoàn Kiếm District Police.

The police also conducted a search of Thắng and Châm’s apartment and found plastic bags containing drugs hidden under the floor and in a dustbin. Mai Ngọc Diệp was caught with 32g of methamphetamine hidden in her jacket. Police also seized drugs while checking Diệp’s house. — VNS