Cuong and 13 accomplices were tried by the Tay Ninh Provincial People's Court for robbery and property damage on 18/9. The case garnered significant public attention due to the dangerous methods used over an extended period, posing a threat to road users.

The defendants in court. Photo: Thuong Son

The defendants in court. Photo: Thuong Son

Cuong, a second-grade dropout from Tan Hoa commune, is married with two children and has no stable job. In July 2023, he moved in with a relative. There, he observed many people regularly using cars and motorbikes to smuggle cigarettes at night on roads in the former Long An province.

According to the indictment, Cuong, unemployed and needing money, decided to intercept and rob these smugglers, believing they wouldn't report him to the police since they were also breaking the law.

He recruited 13 accomplices, including his son, brother-in-law, some relatives, and friends. He purchased fake license plates online for 450,000 VND a pair and also acquired flashlights with built-in stun guns.

Evidence seized in the case. Photo: Nam An

Evidence seized in the case. Photo: Nam An

Impersonating Ministry of Defense Personnel

During this time, Cuong met a woman selling beverages near the border. He claimed to be from the "Ministry of Defense," tasked with combating smuggling, and asked her to identify cigarette smugglers. They then moved into a motel together.

The group agreed to rent a car with fake license plates, preparing weapons including iron pipes, wooden sticks, homemade knives, and stun guns. Cuong also bought plywood and 10 cm nails to create tire spikes, which they hid in the fields.

Their tactic was to place the spikes on the road to puncture the tires of suspected smugglers, then use weapons to subdue the drivers and steal the goods. When encountering motorbikes, they would force them to crash using their car and then threaten and rob them similarly.

To avoid detection, the group operated between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Cuong drove his accomplices from Tay Ninh to Long An, targeting routes frequently used by cigarette smugglers.

Tire spikes discovered by a passerby. Photo: Nam An

Tire spikes discovered by a passerby. Photo: Nam An

One of the group's major heists occurred late on 20/9/2023. After renting two 7-seater cars for one million VND per car per day, Cuong gathered four accomplices, attached fake license plates, and set off with weapons and tire spikes.

At Nong Truong bridge, Tan Long commune, Thu Thua district (former Long An), Cuong ordered the spikes placed at the foot of the bridge. Early in the morning, Nguyen Truong Giang and an unidentified individual drove a 7-seater car carrying smuggled cigarettes over the spikes, puncturing all four tires. Despite realizing they were being ambushed, Giang continued driving.

Cuong's group pursued them, forcing Giang's car to collide with a truck, causing it to stop. The driver and passenger then fled.

As Cuong and his accomplices transferred the cigarettes to another vehicle, a passing driver stopped to inquire. The robbers threatened him with a gun, claiming they were "apprehending smuggled cigarettes," causing him to leave.

The group seized 8,000 packs of cigarettes. Cuong contacted a woman named Bay, who sold them for 125 million VND. He kept nearly 80 million VND for car rental, food, fuel, and personal expenses, distributing the rest among his accomplices.

The next afternoon, local police on patrol discovered the abandoned car with tire spikes still attached to the tires.

Fortunate Victims

However, not all of Cuong's operations were successful. On the night of 22/7/2023, in Thanh Duc commune, Ben Luc district, a 4-seater car continued driving after hitting the spikes. During the pursuit, Cuong's accomplice crashed into a tree, severely damaging the front of the car and deploying the airbags. The police subsequently took him to the station.

Early on 29/9/2023, the group set up an ambush with weapons and tire spikes at Dong Lon bridge on provincial road 818, Binh Thanh commune, Duc Hue district. Pham Hoai Thong, driving a 4-seater car with passengers, hit the spikes, puncturing one tire, but continued driving. Noticing the robbers pursuing him, he drove straight to the Tan Long commune health station in Thu Thua district, escaping unharmed.

In other instances, drivers spotted the spikes in time, stopped their vehicles to check, and then moved them to the side of the road. When Cuong's group approached and found no smuggled cigarettes, they merely pretended to inquire before leaving.

The investigation determined that between 22/7/2023 and 20/2/2024, Cuong and his accomplices committed 15 robberies in Thu Thua, Ben Luc, Thanh Hoa, Duc Hue, and Duc Hoa districts (former Long An province), stealing over 550 million VND.

In court, the People's Procuracy representative stated that this was an organized crime, with Cuong as the mastermind, directly preparing the weapons, vehicles, and participating in the acts. The group's actions occurred repeatedly over a long period, seriously endangering people's lives.

The People's Procuracy proposed a sentence of 26-27 years for Cuong for robbery and property damage; the other defendants faced sentences ranging from 8 to 25 years.

The trial panel adjourned for deliberation, with the verdict scheduled for 24/9.

Thuong Son