The Ha Tinh provincial court on December 29 sentenced three Laotians with terms ranging from seven to two years imprisonment for trafficking illicit drugs.

The convicts are all residents of the Kham Kot district, Boli Khamsay province of Laos. They were arrested on July 31, possessing 30 marijuana cakes (29 kg), 39,000 Thai baht (THB), two mobile phones and two knives.

According to the indictment, Va Nenh Vu, 25, and Tong Po Xong, 35, met two unidentified Vietnamese at the Lac Sao market in Laos on July 30. One of the two Vietnamese persons spoke Laotian very well and enticed them to carry 30 marijuana cakes across the border to the Vietnamese land. The two sides agreed a price of 1,000 THB for every 10 cakes.

The following day, Va Nenh Vu picked up Tong Po Xong and his brother Po Vu onto a car and drove to the spot where the illicit drug was hidden. The three Laotians later carried the marijuana cakes in their backpacks, joining the crowds to walk across the border into Vietnam. They were arrested 100m away from the Cau Treo International Border Gate market.

The defendants pleaded guilty before the court, saying they committed crimes due to lack of legal knowledge.

The court sentenced Va Nenh Vu to seven years in prison and Tong Po Xon, six years imprisonments. Po Vu, 15, was handed down a two year sentence, taking into account the fact a juvenile who had no idea of the goods he was asked to carry./.