JavaScript is off. Please enable to view full site.

Vietnamese woman gets death penalty for smuggling 22 bricks of heroin

Vietnamese woman gets death penalty for smuggling 22 bricks of heroin

Wednesday, September 18, 2019, 14:38 GMT+7
Vietnamese woman gets death penalty for smuggling 22 bricks of heroin
Phan Thi Dao stands her second trial on September 16, 2019. Photo: T.X. / Tuoi Tre

A Vietnamese woman has been sentenced to death for smuggling 22 bricks of heroin weighing nearly eight kilograms from Laos into Vietnam.

The Superior People’s Court based in the central city of Da Nang on Tuesday carried out the second trial of Phan Thi Dao, a 39-year-old resident from the northern province of Bac Kan.

Dao was charged for the illegal transport and trade of drugs.

According to the indictment, Dao became acquainted with a woman named Hoang Thi Hien, who hails from the northern province of Ninh Binh.

On August 10, 2018, Hien contacted Dao and hired her to smuggle an amount of drugs from Laos into Vietnam for VND50 million (US$2,150).

Dao first arrived in Ninh Binh to receive a bag containing U.S. dollars from Hien.

She then headed to Laos’ Bolikhamsai Province and handed the cash to a Laotian man named Say, before receiving 22 packs of heroin, weighing around 350g each, hidden inside a used automobile engine block.

The cakes of heroin are confiscated by police officers. Photo: T.X. / Tuoi Tre

The bricks of heroin are confiscated by police officers. Photo: T.X. / Tuoi Tre

Dao was instructed to catch a passenger bus back to Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Kon Tum at 1:00 pm on August 12, 2018.

She was able to pass the Bo Y Border Gate in Kon Tum Province without any problem.

However, Dao was traveling on a passenger bus in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak two days later when the vehicle was pulled over by traffic police.

Officers were able to discover the drug haul hidden inside the engine block and arrested Dao.

Police reports showed the 22 bricks of heroin weighed a total of 7.73 kilograms.

Dao also admitted to having smuggled drugs on July 20 and August 1 and was paid VND100 million ($4,300) in total.

Her first trial was previously carried out by the Dak Lak People’s Court, where she was sentenced to life in prison.

The provincial People’s Procuracy believed Dao’s punishment should be harsher, before the case was transferred to the higher-level Da Nang Superior People’s Court for a second instance.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Tuoi Tre News

More

Read more

;

Photos

VIDEOS

‘Taste of Australia’ gala dinner held in Ho Chi Minh City after 2-year hiatus

Taste of Australia Gala Reception has returned to the Park Hyatt Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Vietnamese woman gives unconditional love to hundreds of adopted children

Despite her own immense hardship, she has taken in and cared for hundreds of orphans over the past three decades.

Vietnam’s Mekong Delta celebrates spring with ‘hat boi’ performances

The art form is so popular that it attracts people from all ages in the Mekong Delta

Vietnamese youngster travels back in time with clay miniatures

Each work is a scene caught by Dung and kept in his memories through his journeys across Vietnam

Latest news