VIETNAM: 4 GET DEATH PENALTY IN HO CHI MINH CITY'S DRUG TRAFFICKING RING

March 16, 2026:

The People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City on March 12, 2026 sentenced four defendants to death for their roles in a large-scale drug trafficking ring in the city.
Those receiving the death penalty for "illegal trading narcotic substances" were Nguyen Binh Dai (born in 1988), Mac Vinh Khiem (1991), Thai Duy Quang (1990), and Nguyen Binh Trieu (1972), all residents of HCMC.
In the same case, Tran Tong Dung, born in 1974, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for illegal drug trading and storage. Huynh My Ngoc (2002), Thach Ngoc Yen Vy (2001), and Nguyen Dai Nghia (1997) received life sentences, while Pham Thanh Phuong (1997) from An Giang Province was sentenced to 20 years in jail for illegally transporting drugs.
According to the indictment, on Nov. 20, 2022, a task force from the city's police division for drug crime investigation discovered Khiem and Quang acting suspiciously in front of a house on Nguyen Huu Canh Street in Binh Thanh District, now Thanh My Tay Ward.
A subsequent inspection uncovered nearly 43 kg of ketamine hidden in the kitchen of the house.
Further investigating, authorities searched many locations and seized additional quantities of drugs, including methamphetamine, MDMA, ketamine, amphetamine, and nimetazepam, with a total weight of dozens of kilograms.
At Khiem’s home, police also confiscated more than 2.3 kg of ketamine.
Further searches at other defendants’ residences uncovered more narcotics.
Investigators determined that from October 2022 until his arrest, Dai acted as the ringleader. He received drugs from individuals identified only as Giang and Yang, and then stored and distributed them to buyers. Dai instructed Khiem, Quang, and Trieu to receive shipments, store the drugs at many locations, and deliver them to customers upon request.
The ring carried out large-scale drug transactions in many areas of the city. In one deal, Dai directed Quang to deliver 2 kg of methamphetamine to Dung for VND400 million (over US$15,200).
In another branch of the ring, Ngoc was hired by a woman known as Ut to collect a suitcase and backpack containing drugs. Ngoc later asked Nghia, Phuong, and Vy to hide the drugs in their rented room. Police subsequently seized more than 14 kg of ketamine, nearly 3 kg of methamphetamine, and over 374 grams of MDMA from the group.
Prosecutors said the total amount of drugs involved in the case was exceptionally large. Dai alone was held criminally responsible for more than 60 kg of ketamine and over 34 kg of other types of drugs.