Vietnam sentences 30 to death from smuggling drugs from Laos
Scores of defendants from four syndicates arrested and nearly two tonnes of heroin seized in Vietnam's biggest narcotics case on record
Vietnam has sentenced 30 drug smugglers to death in the country's largest narcotics case, involving scores of defendants and nearly two tonnes of heroin.
The 30 men and women, all Vietnamese, were found guilty of drug trafficking and given the death penalty, while a further 59 defendants were handed sentences ranging up to life in prison in connection with the case.
"This was Vietnam's largest ever trial in terms of defendants, the number of death penalties given out and the amount of heroin involved," presiding judge Ngo Duc said after the verdict was read out in the province of Quang Ninh, which borders China.
"Because of the large number of defendants and the seriousness of the case, the trial was held at the prison," the judge added.
The trial lasted 17 days.
Investigators said the defendants belonged to four international smuggling rings responsible for trafficking heroin and other drugs from neighbouring Laos into Vietnam and China since 2006.