On 1/7, Tuan (47, aka Tuan "Tiger"), along with Tran Minh Phu (48), Kieu Duc Hung, and Ha Thi Kim Tham (Tuan's girlfriend), were convicted of drug trafficking under Clause 4, Article 250 of the 2025 amended Criminal Code by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court.

Hung received an additional six-year sentence for illegal drug possession, resulting in a life sentence.

In the same case, Le Thi Tuyet Nhi (31) received a life sentence, while Vo Nguyen Thuy Vy (20, Nhi's half-sister) received a 20-year sentence for drug trafficking. The procuracy had previously sought the death penalty for Nhi and life imprisonment for Vy.

The court explained that the amended Criminal Code, which came into effect on this day, removed the death penalty for drug trafficking. This change benefited the defendants, and the court applied the principle of favoring the accused.

Defendants Le Nguyen Anh Tuan, Tran Minh Phu, and Kieu Duc Hung (from right to left) at the court. Photo: Hai Duyen

This case involved a significant drug trafficking, trading, and possession operation in Ho Chi Minh City. The defendants employed sophisticated methods, including foreign social media apps for communication and intermediaries, necessitating severe penalties.

Tuan, Phu, and Hung were repeat offenders, posing a significant danger to society. Hung's inconsistent testimony and blatant disregard for the law warranted the highest penalty.

While Nhi had trafficked 7.7 kg of drugs on multiple occasions, her age (just over 18 at the time of the offenses) and dependence on her sister were mitigating factors. Vy was considered a minor accomplice with several extenuating circumstances. Therefore, the court applied the spirit of the new law, issuing lighter sentences than the procuracy's recommendations.

Defendants Vo Nguyen Thuy Vy, Le Thi Tuyet Nhi, and Ha Thi Kim Tham (from right to left) at the court. Photo: Hai Duyen

Tuan "Tiger" had five prior convictions for robbery, theft, and drug trafficking.

The court found that in late 2022, Tuan visited his wife, Le Thi Thanh Binh (45), who was serving a life sentence at Thu Duc Prison. Binh introduced Tuan to a female inmate named Lan.

Knowing Tuan's financial difficulties, Lan offered to connect him with a drug supplier. Tuan agreed and provided his phone number.

After the 2023 Lunar New Year, an unidentified woman contacted Tuan, claiming to be Lan's niece, and asked if he wanted to "receive a gift." Tuan understood "gift" to mean drugs and accepted.

The woman instructed Tuan to change his phone for communication. Lacking funds, Tuan asked her to deliver an old iPhone with the Signal app pre-installed to one of his associates.

Using various nicknames, including "Milk Milk," the woman contacted Tuan via Signal to coordinate drug deliveries, using code words like "receiving fruit" and "delivering shrimp." After each successful transaction, Milk Milk sent someone to pay Tuan in cash.

From March to October 2023, Milk Milk directed Tuan in multiple drug deliveries (primarily methamphetamine and heroin) at various locations in Ho Chi Minh City, including the An Suong intersection in District 12, the Van Thanh Tourist Area gate, and alley 170 on Hoang Dieu Street in District 4.

Around July 2023, Milk Milk asked Tuan to recruit additional help, leading him to involve Phu, whom he met while serving a previous sentence.

Investigators determined that Tuan had delivered drugs multiple times to Nguyen Thi Thu Hien (current whereabouts unknown). Hien hired Nhi to store the drugs for distribution, paying her 5 million VND per transaction. Nhi then hired Vy to transport and store the drugs at Vy's residence for 500,000 VND per trip.

In early October 2023, Tuan brought two bags to Tham's house in Binh Thanh District, asking her to store them while he was "moving." Later, he revealed the contents to be drugs, prompting Tham to ask him to remove them.

On the evening of 7/10/2023, while awaiting further instructions from Milk Milk, Tuan asked Tham to deliver a 5 kg bag to Kieu Duc Hung at the end of an alley on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street. Police apprehended them during the exchange.

A joint task force from the Ministry of Public Security's Drug Crime Investigation Police Department, the Border Guard, and the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department searched Tham's house, seizing 86 packages of methamphetamine and 55 cakes of heroin, weighing over 105 kg, from her bedroom.

Further investigation led to the seizure of an additional 1.3 kg of drugs from Tuan's residence and 5 kg from Vy's.

Hai Duyen