LAOS: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR METH TRAFFICKING

September 2, 2025:

The Xayabouly Provincial People’s Court on August 27,2025 sentenced a 29-year-old man to death after convicting him of trafficking methamphetamine and crystal meth. The ruling became public on 30 August.
The defendant, identified only as Nouvue, is from Chiangtong village in Paktha district, Bokeo Province.
The man was arrested on 29 September 2024 and later charged with transporting and possessing narcotics, according to Lao Security News. 
At the time of his arrest, authorities seized 24,000 methamphetamine tablets and 139 packages of crystal meth weighing 149 kilograms.
After reviewing the evidence, including Nouvue’s confession, the court concluded that he had transported the drugs from Bokeo through Xayabouly. 
In its ruling, the court highlighted the severity of the crime, citing the large quantity of narcotics and the danger posed to society, before handing down the maximum penalty.
Laos retains the death penalty for various offenses, including drug trafficking, murder, and treason. However, executions have not been carried out since 1989, making the country abolitionist in practice. 
Despite this, over 500 individuals are reported to be on death row, with some sentences dating back more than a decade.
The latest sentence comes amid a string of large drug busts in Bokeo, a known trafficking hotspot. 
On 7 July, authorities in the northern province intercepted another major drug shipment from a vehicle suspected of trafficking. The haul included 1,920 kilograms of ketamine, nearly 2 million methamphetamine pills, 15 kilograms of ecstasy powder, and 51 kilograms of heroin. 
The driver was detained, and an investigation is underway to track down other accomplices.
Just days earlier, on 3 July, police arrested two Lao men at the Namthoung checkpoint after discovering 554,000 methamphetamine pills hidden in a van. 
Officials said the suspects remain in custody as investigations continue to trace the broader network behind the operation.