VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi People’s Court yesterday (Oct 5) sentenced three people to death and one to life imprisonment for drug trafficking between the northern and southern regions of the country.

Illustrative image – Photo: VNA/VNS

The death penalty was handed down to Dam Trong Thang, 63, from southern Dong Nai Province, Hoang Bich Ngoc, 31, from HCM City, and Nguyen Huy Thong, 34, from Ha Noi. Ta Chung Thanh, 25, from Ha Noi was sentenced to life. Thong’s girlfriend Nguyen Thi Phuong Anh, 34, from Ha Noi was sentenced to 18 months in prison for not reporting the crime.

As per the testimony, Thang and Ngoc met Thong in 2014 and the three decided to set up a drug trafficking ring from Ha Noi to HCM City.

Last year, on April 18, Thang gave Thong VND500 million (US$22,420) to purchase drugs from an unidentified man in Ha Noi. Ngoc instructed Thong to send 4kg of drugs to HCM City for distribution; then along with Thanh, they purchased another kilo of drugs and sent it to HCM City.

Ten days later, Thong and Ngoc bought 5,000 tablets of ecstacy. They were caught while transporting 2,800 tablets to Noi Bai International Airport to HCM City for distribution.

Thang was arrested a month later. Thang had previously been sentenced to life for appropriating property worth VND440 million ($19,700) from a company he worked for and had got amnesty after 20 years in jail.

Source: VNS