After three days of trial and deliberation, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court announced its verdict on December 27 for defendant Vu Hoang Oanh, also known as Oanh "Ha," and 34 accomplices.

Based on evidence and testimonies presented during the trial, the court concluded that the defendants were guilty of "illegal drug trading," "illegal drug transportation," and "illegal drug possession."

Oanh organized and directed a large-scale drug trafficking operation that smuggled narcotics from Cambodia to various locations in Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, Hanoi, and neighboring provinces.

Initially, Oanh hired Nguyen Van Nam to transport drugs into Vietnam for distribution to her clients.

Later, Oanh concealed drugs in old car transmission boxes, which were sent to her associates, Nguyen Anh Bao Quoc and Nguyen Khanh Duy. Nam would then collect the drugs from Quoc and Duy for storage or delivery.

According to the indictment, Oanh successfully smuggled 129 transmission boxes, each yielding approximately 50 kilograms of drugs.

From March 2018 to November 2022, her network managed to traffic an astonishing 626 kilograms of drugs into Vietnam.

The court found that Nguyen Anh Bao Quoc played a significant role in aiding Oanh with the illegal transportation of 174 kilograms of drugs.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Nam was involved in the sale and distribution of over 384 kilograms of drugs and received approximately 15.5 billion VND (about $635,000 USD) as payment.

The court emphasized the severe impact of the defendants' actions on society. Although some defendants were granted leniency due to mitigating factors, the gravity of their crimes warranted the harshest penalties.

For Nguyen Van Nam, the court acknowledged his cooperation with investigators but noted that the substantial quantity of drugs he trafficked necessitated the death penalty.

The court also rejected portions of the defense's arguments.

In addition to criminal sentences, the defendants were ordered to forfeit their illicit profits.

Thanh Phuong