Mua Ba Vu, the former chairman of Na Ngoi commune, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for trafficking over 22 kg of drugs. His conviction followed an arrest in early 1/2025 while transporting a large quantity of methamphetamine and heroin, a perilous journey he undertook for a 100 million VND fee. The case, heard at the Nghe An Provincial People's Court in late December 2025, underscored the devastating consequences of his actions on his family and his more than two decades of public service.

The courtroom was quiet on the morning of his trial, with most seats empty save for a handful of attendees. Vu stood pensively before the bench, his hands clasped and trembling, revealing his anxiety. When questioned, he looked up, his lips moving silently at first. Seeing his wife and four children looking distressed in the back row, Vu's voice turned hoarse as he mumbled, "I am deeply pained and regretful; for just 100 million VND, I lost everything and plunged my family into tragedy."

Born into a family with a revolutionary tradition, Vu completed grade 12 before joining the People's Committee of Na Ngoi, a mountainous border commune that was formerly part of Ky Son district. He steadily rose through the ranks, serving as a semi-specialized official, Deputy Head of the Party Committee's Inspection Commission, and Vice Chairman, before being elected Chairman of the Commune People's Committee in 7/2024.

_Defendant Mua Ba Vu at his trial in late 12/2025 at the Nghe An Provincial People's Court. Photo: Duc Hung_

Vu's family was considered comfortable compared to the local average, owning a pickup truck valued at approximately 800 million VND since 2018. As a commune official, Vu often advised residents to "stay away from illegal trade, because getting involved means losing everything."

"I never thought he would do the opposite," a relative attending the trial said, shaking their head in regret for Vu.

In early 1/2025, the 43-year-old chairman received a message via Messenger from a Lao man named Tu, whom he had met on social media. Tu informed him that his boss needed a drug shipment transported from Na Ngoi commune to the lowlands, offering a 100 million VND fee. Vu testified that he was initially hesitant but, thinking it was "just one trip, not directly handling the goods, and involving photographic proof of location," he decided to "take a chance" for the money.

On 8/1/2025, Vu received notification of the transport time. That evening, he contacted his eldest son, Mua Ba Ha, 26, who was working in Muong Xen town. He told Ha to come to former Vinh City the next day for a "meeting, and to visit his sibling studying there," asking him to drive if his father got tired. According to Vu, his son was unaware the trip was, in fact, a drug transport.

_Defendant Vu (center), with evidence at the time of his arrest, 1/2025. Photo: Public Security_

Around 8 PM that day, Vu drove his pickup truck to an area near a temporary bridge over a stream in Ka Noi village, Na Ngoi commune, where he picked up a gray sack left by the roadside. Inside were dozens of packages of synthetic drugs and four blocks of heroin. Vu separated a black nylon bag containing the heroin, hiding it under the rear passenger seat, and placed the rest in the truck bed.

Early the next morning, the two father and son left home. Along the route from Ky Son district through Tuong Duong, Do Luong, and then former Nam Dan district, Vu constantly messaged and called Tu to finalize the drop-off location. To prevent his son from discovering the drugs, Vu occasionally asked Ha to get out and wait by the roadside while he drove alone to find a hiding spot for the goods.

Vu left the drugs on National Highway 15 in former Nam Dan district and took photos to send to Tu, signaling for the customer to pick up the goods. When the recipient claimed not to know the way, Vu returned to pick up his son and drove towards former Vinh City, arranging to meet and deliver the drugs there.

Around 7 AM on 9/1/2025, as the vehicle traveled on National Highway 46A in Thanh Vinh ward, a task force from the Nghe An Provincial Police stopped it for inspection. In the truck bed and under the rear passenger seat, authorities found 35 packages of synthetic drugs and four blocks of heroin, totaling over 22 kg. His son, sitting beside him, was stunned when his father was caught red-handed.

Forensic results confirmed the seized items included 21 kg of methamphetamine and 1,4 kg of heroin, falling under the highest penalty bracket for the crime of illegal drug trafficking.

_Vu's truck carrying drugs being surrounded by police in 1/2025. Video: Hung Le_

During the trial, Vu recounted sleepless nights in detention, burdened by the shame his wife had to bear and the shadow cast over his children's future by his mistake. "I couldn't face my wife and children," Vu said, his voice faltering as he bowed his head in the courtroom.

His regret intensified when he spoke of his eldest son, Mua Ba Ha, who was unwittingly drawn into the fateful journey. The former commune chairman admitted that, besides asking his son to drive, he also borrowed his son's phone to take photos of the drop-off location to send to his contact, hoping to avoid detection. "Ha knew nothing, but that illicit trip will haunt him for life," Vu said, his eyes red, believing he had inflicted a lasting emotional wound on his son.

Vu frequently mentioned his long tenure with local authorities, recalling how he trekked to mountain villages, encouraging residents to develop the economy, maintain border security, and avoid smuggling and drug trafficking. He admitted to betraying the trust of the organization and the people, personally undoing more than 20 years of dedicated effort. He stated this was his first time transporting illegal goods, driven solely by money, and considered it "a very high price for a moment of greed."

A lay judge interrupted, asking, "If the trip had been successful, would you have stopped?" Vu bowed his head, mumbled "I'm not sure," and then fell silent for a long time. His hands, clasped together, repeatedly tightened and loosened, occasionally glancing towards the back row.

"That hesitation shows that even the defendant cannot confirm he would have stopped if the first shipment hadn't been discovered," the judge remarked.

_A view of Na Ngoi commune, Ky Son district - where criminals often exploit the complex, rugged mountainous terrain to transport illegal goods. Photo: Duc Hung_

Present at the trial, Mrs. Ha Y Ka, Vu's wife, said the family suffered a profound shock since her husband's arrest. In recent days, she and her five children have lived in shame and distress, rarely daring to go out, enduring pressure from neighbors and friends. "He was once the family's pillar; now, tragedy and burden fall upon us five," Mrs. Ka said, sharing the emotional trauma her children endured due to their father's mistake.

The representative from the Procuracy assessed Vu's actions as highly dangerous to society, given the large quantity of drugs, the cross-border element, and his reckless use of a personal vehicle while involving his son, demonstrating contempt for the law. While his remorse was genuine, it was too late for redemption.

According to the prosecuting agency, while Vu's son was in the vehicle carrying the drugs, the investigation determined that Ha was unaware of his father's drug transport activities and therefore committed no crime. The identities and addresses of the three individuals who connected with Vu for drug trafficking could not be clearly established during the investigation, so there was insufficient basis for prosecution.

Before deliberations, Vu stated he was not asking to be acquitted, only hoping the trial panel would acknowledge his deep remorse and regret. He said that if he could go back in time, he would prefer to live in poverty, returning to farming, rather than have his wife and children live in such shame today.

Upon receiving a life sentence for illegal drug trafficking, under Article 250 of the Penal Code, Vu collapsed, his legs buckling, his body trembling. Leaving the courtroom, he saw his wife and children waiting outside but said nothing, walking silently past them.

_Duc Hung_