The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court has delivered a first-instance verdict for 22 defendants involved in a transnational drug trafficking network. The court found the defendants guilty of possession, transportation, and trafficking of narcotics, and they have been sentenced to death or life imprisonment. The investigation revealed that the network collaborated with individuals in Vietnam to transport narcotics from Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City. By staff writers – Translated by Bao Nghi reported
SGGPO
On November 11, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court delivered a first-instance verdict for 22 defendants implicated in a transnational drug trafficking network following a four-day trial.
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The People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City issues verdicts for the defendants. |
The trial panel determined that the defendants’ significant involvement in drug trafficking is extremely severe, and they are deemed beyond rehabilitation. Between May and July 2020, in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Binh Duong, Le Ho Vu, the ringleader, born in 1987 and residing in Ca Mau Province, along with 21 accomplices, engaged in various illicit activities. These activities included possession, transportation, and trafficking of narcotics. Additionally, they used forged documents from agencies and organizations and organized illegal drug use.
As a result, Le Ho Vu was sentenced to death for the crimes of “Illegally transporting narcotics” and “Using forged seals or documents of agencies, organizations.” Furthermore, 17 accomplices, including three foreign individuals, received death sentences for offenses such as “Illegally possessing narcotics,” “Illegally trafficking narcotics,” “Illegally transporting narcotics,” and “Organizing illegal drug use.”
In addition, three defendants, namely Nguyen Quoc Toan, Vo Dang Khoa, and Nguyen Thanh Tung, were sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime of “Illegally transporting narcotics.” Since Le Thanh Nghia committed the offense during adolescence, he received a 15-year prison sentence for the crime of “Illegally trafficking narcotics.”
According to the charges, on July 19, 2020, the Ministry of Public Security, in collaboration with relevant authorities, conducted an urgent inspection of a container at Tan Cang Cat Lai Port in Cat Lai Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. The inspection revealed that the container, which was purportedly carrying granite stones, actually contained 40 nylon packages of Methamphetamine, weighing over 39 kg.
The investigation concluded that this drug trafficking network had connections with individuals in Vietnam and overseas, specifically South Korea. They were involved in the illegal storage, transportation, and trafficking of narcotics from Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City. Some of the drugs were consumed within Vietnam, while others were transported to South Korea for consumption.
The investigation revealed that the defendants had illegally possessed, transported, and trafficked over 216 kg of various types of narcotics. Of this amount, 168 kg of drugs were confiscated, while the remaining quantity was successfully transported and distributed by the defendants.
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The representative of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Procuracy proposes the death penalty for 18 defendants. |
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