Overseas Vietnamese in Germany participate in drug trafficking ring from Europe to Vietnam

On September 18, the Hanoi People's Court sentenced defendant Le Thi Phuong Hoa (born in 1982, in Gia Lam district) to death for "Illegal drug trafficking". For the same crime, defendant Do Thi Phuong (born in 1991, in Hanoi) was sentenced to life in prison.

Previously, through the fight against drug crimes, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department - Hanoi City Police discovered a transnational drug trafficking ring from European countries such as Germany and the Czech Republic to Noi Bai airport.

From here, drugs continue to be transported through provinces and cities across the country to be transferred to third countries, especially China.

Investigation results show that in early 2020, through social relations, defendant Hoa became acquainted with a person named Trinh Huong (born in 1991, also known as Trinh Thi Thanh Huong, German nationality). Huong mainly lives in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Through many meetings in Nam Dinh and Hanoi, Huong, Hoa and Phuong discussed and agreed to buy and sell drugs via international express delivery from Germany to Vietnam.

Huong is the person who collects drugs and finds drug dealers in Vietnam. Hoa receives and transports drugs to locations designated by Huong, and is paid 30 million VND per drug transport.

According to the accusation, defendant Phuong knew about Huong and Hoa’s illegal drug dealing and trading. During their time together, Hoa gave Phuong a lot of money to cover their living expenses. Hoa even spent 3 billion VND to buy Phuong an apartment at Vinhome OceanPark.

Phuong knew that the money to buy this apartment as well as the money for living expenses came from Hoa illegally trading drugs with Trinh Huong.

Hoa is accused of receiving and transporting drugs for Huong twice. In April 2022, Huong told Hoa to prepare to receive 4 boxes of drugs that Huong had shipped from abroad. When defendant Hoa was contacting an express delivery service in Hai Phong City, she was discovered, arrested, and had evidence seized by Hanoi Police.

The indictment determined that defendants Hoa and Phuong must bear criminal responsibility for illegally buying and selling 47,158.56 grams of MDMA and 956.70 grams of Ketamine.

Regarding Trinh Huong, the investigation agency determined that this person was born and raised in Vietnam, then got married and emigrated to the Federal Republic of Germany. Huong often returns to Vietnam and has a temporary residence address at Yet Kieu Street, Nam Dinh City, Nam Dinh Province.

On February 6, 2020, Huong was arrested by Nam Dinh City Police for gambling. On September 9, 2020, Nam Dinh Provincial People's Court sentenced Trinh Huong to 7 months in prison, suspended. While waiting for the verdict to take legal effect, on September 16, 2020, Huong completed exit procedures at Noi Bai International Airport to the Federal Republic of Germany.

During her stay in Germany, Huong illegally traded drugs from Germany to Vietnam for consumption. Since the time she escaped from serving the sentence of the People's Court of Nam Dinh province (from September 16, 2020), this overseas Vietnamese has not entered Vietnam.

Therefore, the investigation agency decided to suspend the investigation of the suspect. When Trinh Huong is arrested, the investigation will be resumed and handled later.

Regarding the officials of the People's Court of Nam Dinh province who showed signs of violating judicial activities related to the trial and execution of the sentence against Trinh Huong, the investigation agency has issued a decision to separate the related documents and transfer them to the competent authority for handling and settlement according to the provisions of law.