The trial of Nguyen Nhat Duy (28), Nguyen Van Hoang (25), and two friends began on 12/6 at the People's Court of Area 2 - TP HCM. They face charges of organizing illegal drug use. Tran Kim Thanh, who supplied drugs to Duy and Hoang, was prosecuted for illegal drug trafficking.
Duy and Hoang are content creators on TikTok, jointly operating the "Nhat Duy - Nhat Hoang" channel. Their videos primarily focus on daily life, travel, and youth entertainment. According to public social media information, their shared TikTok channel has nearly 100,000 followers. Hoang also manages a personal account with hundreds of thousands of followers, some videos reaching millions of views.
 |
Nguyen Nhat Duy and Nguyen Van Hoang. Photo: *TikTok Nhat Duy - Nhat Hoang*. |
According to the indictment, Duy, Hoang, and several friends began using drugs in 2024. In 10/2024, after a meal, the group gathered in Nguyen Hoang Huu Luan's bedroom in An Khanh ward, Thu Duc City. There, Duy invited everyone to pool money to buy drugs for use.
Duy ordered 10 ecstasy pills and half a box of ketamine for 6,5 million dong from a person named Trang, whose identity remains unknown. Luan prepared speakers, lights, and paraphernalia for drug use. About a month later, Duy again ordered drugs, and the group gathered at Luan's house for use.
On 31/12/2024, Duy bought a larger quantity of drugs from Tran Kim Thanh, a PR employee, including 15 ecstasy pills and ketamine, for 10,5 million dong. On the evening of 13/2/2025, the group again purchased drugs for use. Late that same night, police brought everyone to the station for questioning.
In court today, Duy and his accomplices confessed to the criminal acts outlined in the indictment. Duy stated they initially "used drugs to reduce stress but then couldn't quit, wanting to continue using". A representative from the Procuracy asked Duy if he had heard the propaganda slogan: "do not use drugs, not even once". Duy replied, "I did not consider the consequences".
During subsequent questioning, defendant Hoang stated that his reason for using drugs was due to associating with Duy and being invited to participate. Defendant Thanh testified that she bought drugs from a person named Vinh, a former colleague from a bar, and resold them to Duy for a profit. During the investigation, authorities have not yet identified Trang or Vinh.
After the questioning, the trial panel stated that some documents related to the case evidence needed review and therefore adjourned the session. The trial will resume on 19/6.
Binh Nguyen
