Vietnam court sentences man to death for drug trafficking, weapons possession

Nguyen Xuan Huyen, a resident of Tran Xa Village in Quang Ninh District, Quang Binh Province, was convicted by the Quang Binh People’s Court on charges of drug trafficking and unlawful possession of military weapons.

Police said Huyen was a passenger in a car that was stopped on September 13, 2024 in Sen Thuong 1 Village, Le Thuy District.

The vehicle, bearing licence plate 73A-301.62, was driven by Tran Dinh Mao, 39, of Dong Hoi City.

A search of the car uncovered a handgun loaded with seven bullets, more than 22.5kg of methamphetamine, and nearly 1.9kg of ketamine.

Huyen told investigators he had purchased the drugs at the Bo Y border gate in Kon Tum Province and was transporting them to buyers in Quang Binh.

He had previously served five years in prison for distributing counterfeit currency, eight years and six months for murder, and three years for drug transport.

The court sentenced him to death for drug trafficking and imposed an additional five-year term for weapons possession.

The combined sentence was the death penalty.