From L: Ho Sy Long, Lu Van Hai and Nguyen Van Toan

VIETNAM: TWO DRUG TRADERS SENTENCED TO DEATH

July 5, 2019:

A central Vietnam court sentenced two men to death on 1 July 2019 for trading over 4.8 kilos of narcotics last year.
Nguyen Van Toan, 46, and Lu Van Hai, 35, received the dealth penalty for "illegal trading of narcotic substances" at the trial in Nghe An Province. Ho Sy Long, 44, who served as their driver, was sentenced to 20 years behind bars for drug smuggling.
In May last year, Toan hired Long to drive him to Hai in the same province to buy two packs of heroin, of nearly 700 grams (1.5 pounds), for VND360 million ($15,480).
Toan brought the drugs to Ho Chi Minh City, a day drive away, and sold it to a man whom police are yet to identify, for VND420 million and paid Long VND2 million.
In June, Toan again hired Long to buy three packs of heroin from Hai for VND520 million. Long got VND5 million for this trip.
Also in June, Toan and Long visited Hai for another three packs of heroin and one kilo of meth.
They got caught by the police on the drive back.
In the three transactions, they had traded drugs weighing over 4.8 kilos.