Vietnam Court Hands Life Sentences in Major Drug Trafficking Case

Picture courtesy of VN Express

In a landmark decision, a Ho Chi Minh City court has sentenced five people to life imprisonment for smuggling 118 kilograms of narcotics, as recent amendments to Vietnam’s Penal Code remove the death penalty for this offence.

Le Nguyen Anh Tuan, 47, Tran Minh Phu, 48, Kieu Duc Hung, 44, and Ha Thi Kim Tham, 37, were convicted on Tuesday, marking a significant shift in Vietnam’s judicial approach. Hung received an additional six years for illegal possession, ensuring his life sentence, while Le Thi Tuyet Nhi, 31, was also sentenced to life.

The amended Penal Code, enacted from Tuesday, replaced the death penalty with life imprisonment for specific crimes. Vo Nguyen Thuy Vy, 20, Tuan's half-sister, was recognised as a minor accomplice and sentenced to 20 years, considering mitigating factors.

The court highlighted the defendants' use of sophisticated methods, employing foreign social media apps for communications and involving intermediaries to orchestrate their operations.

The case traces back to late 2022 when Tuan, struggling financially, was introduced to a drug ring by an inmate named Lan during a prison visit. By February 2023, Tuan had agreed to the illegal operations, communicating via a Signal app on a provided iPhone. Using aliases and coded language like “fruit” and “shrimp,” Tuan coordinated drug transactions, earning cash rewards for successful deliveries.

In June 2023, Tuan, under the alias "Milk Milk," began recruiting allies, including Phu, a former cellmate. During deliveries, police discovered Tuan supplying drugs to Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, who remains at large. Hien recruited Nhi for storage, offering her VND5 million (approximately 6,200 Thai Baht) per transaction, who in turn involved Vy, paying her VND500,000 each time.

By October 2023, Tuan deceptively stored drugs at his girlfriend Tham’s house, misrepresenting them as personal belongings. Upon learning the truth, Tham demanded he remove the drugs. However, Tuan soon involved Tham in further dealings, culminating in Hung’s arrest while handling five kilograms of narcotics.

A raid on Tham’s residence lead to the discovery of 105 kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin. Further investigations recovered 1.3 kilograms of drugs from Tuan's home and five kilograms from Vy's. Nhi was implicated in storing and distributing over seven kilograms.

This case underscores Vietnam's evolving legal stance on drug-related crimes, aiming to balance severity with reform. The use of advanced technology and cryptic communication illustrates the challenges authorities face in combatting drug trafficking networks.

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from VN Express 2025-07-03