Vietnam Sentences Eleven Individuals to Death in Massive Drug Trafficking Ring

A Vietnamese court has handed down the death penalty to eleven individuals in what officials describe as one of the nation’s most significant drug trafficking operations.

These eleven individuals are among a total of 227 defendants, with resulting prison sentences spanning from 18 months to life imprisonment.

Among those condemned was Ha Danh Nam, believed to be the ringleader of the operation. Investigators allege he orchestrated the smuggling of narcotics from France into Vietnam.

The investigation originated in March 2023, when four Vietnam Airlines flight attendants arriving in Ho Chi Minh City from Paris were intercepted with over 10 kilograms of illicit substances concealed within 157 toothpaste tubes.

According to the legal publication Bao Cong Ly, authorities determined that the flight attendants—who faced no prosecution—had inadvertently transported the narcotics, which consisted of MDMA and ketamine.

Authorities discovered that Nam concealed the drugs within everyday consumer products, including dietary supplements, laundry detergent, mouthwash, and coffee. He then coordinated with individuals in France to transport these items either in their personal luggage or through delivery services to Vietnam.

Reports indicate that Nam specifically targeted Vietnamese nationals residing or studying in France to serve as drug couriers.

Prosecutors stated that members of this transnational network utilized encrypted messaging applications and financial accounts registered under stolen identities to facilitate their smuggling operations.

Financial transactions linked to the network were estimated to be worth nearly 29 trillion Vietnamese dong (approximately $1.1 billion or £815 million).

The court determined that the defendants held varying degrees of responsibility within the network, ranging from leadership roles to that of mere accomplices, with penalties calibrated according to the severity of their involvement.

Approximately twenty other defendants received life sentences for their roles in the illegal procurement, distribution, transportation, and organization of narcotics.

Vietnam remains one of 54 countries that retain the death penalty, according to human rights organizations.

The Vietnamese government classifies the number of individuals on death row as a state secret and does not release official figures. However, human rights groups estimate that more than 1,000 individuals are currently awaiting execution.

Last month, the Vietnamese government proposed eliminating the death penalty for six specific offenses, including drug trafficking. These legislative changes have yet to be enacted.

This proposal follows the 2025 criminal code amendments, which abolished the death penalty for eight offenses, including embezzlement, espionage, and attempting to overthrow the government.

One of the most prominent individuals previously sentenced to death was tycoon Truong My Lan, who was convicted of embezzlement and condemned in 2024.

Due to the 2025 legal amendments, her death sentence was subsequently commuted to life imprisonment.

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