A court in Vietnam has given a 16-year jail term to a man who abetted the transport of nearly 200 grams of drugs concealed inside a stuffed animal despite being aware of the prohibited goods.

The People’s Court of southern Tra Vinh Province on Wednesday sentenced 27-year-old Doan Quoc Chi, a local man, to 16 years in prison on charges of “Illegal storage of narcotic substances” as prescribed in Vietnam’s Penal Code.

Provincial police officers, based on a tip-off, arrested Chi on October 22, 2020 after he received a post parcel of a stuffed animal in which six plastic bags of suspicious white powder were hidden, according to the indictment.

A test on the powder, weighing over 199 grams, confirmed it to be methamphetamine, a highly addictive and illegal drug that is known for its euphoric effects.

The defendant admitted he knew the drugs had been hidden inside the stuffed animal but he still received the parcel to get paid as per a request from an acquaintance.

Chi, however, refused to report that person’s identification to investigators.

During the investigation, Chi showed an uncooperative attitude and provided vague statements, causing difficulties to investigators, said the indictment.

Last month, the provincial police arrested a group of three young men, aged 22 to 27, for illegal trading 49 grams of drugs in tablet and crystal forms.

After buying the drugs in Ben Tre Province, the group hid them inside a carton of instant noodles that was transported to Tra Vinh in a car.

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