Two Koreans Sentenced to Death for Drug Trafficking in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh Court Sentences 18 to Death
One Involved in Crime While Exporting Granite

Two Koreans involved in drug trafficking in Vietnam, along with a total of 18 people, were sentenced to death.

According to local media VN Express and AFP on the 13th, the Family and Juvenile Court under the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court sentenced two Koreans, Mr. A (63) and Mr. B (30), as well as a Chinese national Mr. C and other Vietnamese nationals, totaling 18 people, to death the previous day. They were tried on charges of trafficking approximately 216 kg of drugs.

Mr. A had been imprisoned six times in Korea over 16 years since 2000 for violating immigration-related laws. After settling in Vietnam in 2019, Mr. A established and operated a business exporting granite to Korea. In early 2020, he met the Chinese national Mr. C and began drug trafficking. Subsequently, Mr. A called Mr. B, whom he met in a Korean prison, to Vietnam and even involved his girlfriend in the criminal activities.

Drugs Smuggled from Cambodia, Some Sent to Korea

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The drug organization involving Mr. A and Mr. B hid drugs in granite slabs to be shipped to Korea at the Ket Lai port in July 2020 but was caught on site by public security officers. During the arrest, about 40 plastic bags containing methamphetamine (Philopon) and other substances were seized. Investigations revealed that they smuggled drugs from Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City, distributing most of the quantity locally while sending some to Korea.

Vietnam, a communist country, takes a strong stance against drug crimes. Those caught smuggling drugs face imprisonment of two years or more. In particular, possession or smuggling of more than 600g of heroin or over 2.5 kg of Philopon results in the death penalty. Manufacturing or distributing over 100g of heroin or more than 300g of other illegal drugs also carries the same punishment. The 216 kg of drugs trafficked by Mr. A and others far exceeded these thresholds, leading to their death sentences. Last year, more than 100 people were sentenced to death for drug crimes in Vietnam.