21 years and 6 months in prison for the leader of the drug trafficking ring

The defendants are: Truong Trong Truong (born in 1998); Cao Tho Thoi (born in 2003), both residing in Huong Chu ward, Huong Tra town; Truong Van Phi (born in 2000), residing in Thuan Loc ward, Hue city; Le Cong Vinh Phuc (born in 2001), residing in Thuy Phuong ward, Huong Thuy town; Tran Kim Hung (born in 2001), residing in Huong Van ward, Huong Tra town.

At the first instance trial, the People's Court of Thua Thien Hue province sentenced defendant Truong Trong Truong to 21 years and 6 months in prison for two crimes of "Illegal possession of narcotics" and "Illegal trading of narcotics". Defendant Cao Tho Thoi was sentenced to 17 years in prison; Truong Van Phi to 8 years in prison; Le Cong Vinh Phuc to 8 years in prison; and Tran Kim Hung to 8 years in prison for the same crime of "Illegal trading of narcotics".

After that, defendant Tran Kim Hung filed an appeal asking for a reduction in his sentence; defendant Truong Trong Truong filed an appeal claiming his innocence, not accepting the indictment for illegal drug trafficking, and asking for an investigation to clarify this charge.

According to the indictment, at 5:30 p.m. on March 7, 2022, at Lon Bridge, Bui Thi Xuan Street, Phuong Duc Ward, Hue City, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department of the Provincial Police caught Thoi red-handed in the act of illegally storing and trading drugs.

Confiscated from the pocket of the jacket Thoi was wearing was a plastic bag containing 493 pink pills. Thoi confessed that this was the amount of drugs he had collected under the direction of Truong (the leader of the drug trafficking ring).

On March 8, 2022, the Provincial Police Investigation Agency urgently arrested Truong. Searching Truong's residence, the Investigation Agency seized 4 plastic bags containing white solid crystals and 02 plastic bags containing tablets.

On March 9, 2022, the Provincial Police Investigation Agency urgently detained Phi; then on March 16, 2022 and May 4, 2022, the Provincial Police Agency prosecuted the defendants and issued arrest warrants for Phuc and Hung.

The investigation determined: From mid-2021 to March 7, 2022, Truong organized a drug trafficking ring in Thua Thien Hue province. The amount of drugs seized from the defendant Truong bought for the purpose of selling and directing Thoi to receive was caught red-handed, 173 grams of drugs, type MDMA. In addition, Truong also possessed 1.825 grams of drugs, type Ketamine, for use.

During the drug trafficking activities, Truong hired Thoi, Phi, Phuc, and Hung to participate in selling drugs with Truong. Thoi was the person who directly managed Phi, Phuc, and Hung. Truong paid the defendants 1 million VND/day.

Truong was the person who contacted to order drugs, divided and delivered drugs to Thoi, at the same time provided information about drug buyers to Thoi and managed them. Thoi was responsible for delivering drugs to Phi, Phuc, Hung, bringing them to karaoke bars, bars and other locations in Hue City to sell to customers, receiving money and giving it back to Truong.

At the appeal hearing, the two defendants failed to present any new evidence or details for the panel to consider. Therefore, the panel rejected the appeal of the two defendants and upheld the original sentence.

Sentenced defendant Truong Trong Truong to 21 years and 6 months in prison for two crimes of "Illegal possession of narcotics" and "Illegal trading of narcotics"; Tran Kim Hung to 8 years in prison for the crime of "Illegal trading of narcotics".

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