Hanoi (VNA) – The Hanoi People’s Court pronounced on December 22 the death penalty for seven defendants and life imprisonment for two others involved in an inter-provincial drug trafficking ring.
The capital punishment was meted out on Nguyen Tien Dung (46, from Viet Hung ward of Long Bien district, Hanoi), Nguyen Ngoc Duong (24, from Viet Hung ward of Long Bien district), Pham Xuan Phuong (23, from Gia Thuy ward of Long Bien district), Nong Van Do (35, from Bao Lam commune of Cao Loc district, Lang Son province), Pham Thi Nghia (49, from Nong truong Moc Chau town of Moc Chau district, Son La province), Tran Anh Quan (29, from Hang Ma ward of Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi), and Ha Sy Duy (28, from Tan Chi commune of Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province).
Meanwhile, Nguyen Le (28, from Vinh Tuy ward of Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi) and Nguyen Thi Tu Le (43, from Kinh Bac ward of Bac Ninh city, Bac Ninh province) will be sentenced to life imprisonment.
Nine other defendants received jail terms from seven to 20 years.
The first-instance trial was opened on December 20.
On April 18, 2014, police caught Ngo Thi Mai Phuong, Nguyen Tuan Cuong and Nguyen Thi Tu Le red-handed on Nguyen Son street in Hanoi for trafficking drug, seizing 543.78 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 1,900 methamphetamine pills weighing 180.52 grams.
Pham Xuan Phuong and Tran Anh Quan were arrested on Hoang Dieu street of Hanoi on June 19, 2014 while trafficking 1.136 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 208 methamphetamine pills weighing 55.697 grams.
Investigation shows that in April 2014, Nguyen Tien Dung got acquainted with Nguyen Ngoc Duong, Pham Xuan Phuong and most of other defendants, forming a big trafficking ring that operated in many provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Lang Son, Son La, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Phu Tho, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang.
Nguyen Tien Dung was the one who provided money for and steered trafficking activities. He tasked Nguyen Ngoc Duong with recording the trafficking, dealing with drug and working with drug buyers. Meanwhile, Pham Xuan Phuong directly delivered drug to and took money from buyers.
The three drug dealers alone trafficked 6.07kg of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of synthetic drug pills.-VNA
VNA