Da Nang court imposes 17-year prison term on driver for drug trafficking

The People’s Court of Da Nang City in central Vietnam on Friday sentenced Tran Van Nha, a 48-year-old resident of neighboring Quang Nam Province, to 17 years in prison for buying and selling narcotics, as he exploited his job as a passenger driver to transport drugs.

According to the indictment, Nha is a driver providing passenger services and was acquainted with Phuc, with an unknown background, who was a frequent customer.

Phuc contacted Nha on the evening of August 10, 2022, requesting a ride from Hoi An City in Quang Nam Province to the New Phuong Dong club in Da Nang.

After arriving at the destination, Phuc asked Nha to drive to Trung Tin crossroads in Quang Nam to obtain drugs for Phuc’s friend.

Phuc promised to pay VND1.5 million (US$61.5), including VND400,000 ($16.4) for the car fare.

Nha agreed to the deal, providing his bank account number for a transfer. However, Phuc did not fulfill the payment.

The car proceeded to the rendezvous point as directed by Phuc to obtain ecstasy and ketamine wrapped in a medical mask hidden at the foot of a traffic sign.

Upon receiving the drugs, Phuc instructed Nha to open the packages for a check. 

There were two large packages -- one containing 100 ecstasy and ketamine pills and the other containing five ecstasy pills and two ketamine packages.

Nha then drove to 161 Ngu Hanh Son Street to deliver the drugs. There, police apprehended him and seized all ecstasy and ketamine.

Before that, starting from July 2022, Nha had helped Phuc successfully deliver drugs twice, once to a destination on Dong Da Street in Da Nang, and another time on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in the same city.

Nha was unaware of the quantity and type of drugs involved in those two occasions.

Phuc paid a total of VND2.6 million ($106.6) for those two deliveries, which Nha used up for his personal expenses.

In Friday’s court, Nha confessed to transporting drugs for Phuc to earn his livelihood.

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