4 sentenced to death for drug trafficking in northern Vietnam
HANOI - A court in northern Vietnam sentenced four people to death, bringing the number of people punished by firing squad for drug trafficking to eight this week, a court official said Wednesday.
The defendants, all Vietnamese citizens, were convicted Tuesday of trafficking more than 11 kilograms (24 pounds) of heroin from the northern province of Son La to Hanoi and Bac Ninh in 2005, said presiding judge Nguyen Van Hai of Son La provincial People's Court.
The court also jailed a woman for life for her involvement in the ring, Hai said.
Son La is 300 kilometers (187 miles) northwest of Hanoi.
On Monday, a court in Ho Chi Minh City condemned four people to death after convicting them of producing and trafficking more than 10,000 Ecstasy tablets.
Vietnam has some of the world's toughest drug laws. Possessing, trading or trafficking 600 grams (1.3 pounds) of heroin or 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of opium are punishable by death or life in prison.
About 100 people are sentenced to death in Vietnam each year for drug-related offenses.
The Associated Press - May 29, 2007.
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