Vietnamese Smugglers Handed Death Sentence for Cambodian Drugs

Hanoi, According to the local media on March 19, 2019 a Vietnamese court sentenced three people to death and another to life imprisonment for drug trafficking.

The Hanoi People’s Court on Monday handed the death penalty to two women; Vu Thi Thu Hoai, 47, and Vu Thi Hai Yen, 24, and 40-year-old man, Lý Tấn Thân.

Another woman Pham Thi Hop, was given a 42 year jail sentence. All are from northern Hai Phong.

Hop was a broker, but she was spared capital punishment as she is under 36 years of age.

In June 2017, Hoai and Yen were asked by Hop to transport drugs from Ho Chi Minh City to Hai Phong. The two were arrested at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi with more than 2.6 kilograms of drugs in their cars. 

In November 2017, another drug deal was busted , which was initiated by Hop, who had been receiving methamphetamine from Cambodia.

According to Vietnamese law, those who are convicted of smuggling methamphetamine, heroin and other drugs may face the death penalty.

In 2018, 122 people were sentenced to death in Vietnam.  At least 600 people were on death row in Vietnam at the end of 2017.