Three more to die for drug trafficking in Vietnam

The Friday sentences bring to 12 the number of people given the death penalty for drug-related offences this month. The people's court of Nam Dinh province, 70 kilometres south of Hanoi, imposed sentences of seven to 17 years behind bars for the remaining five defendants, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reported.

The paper did not mention the amount of drugs involved and court officials were not available on Saturday. Trafficking as little as 100 grams of heroin can result in the death penalty in Vietnam, where an estimated 65 people last year and 82 in 1999 were sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

Earlier this week two men in Ho Chi Minh City were sentenced to death for trafficking and possessing 616.7 grams and 10 small packets of heroin. Seven people were sentenced to death in early March for trafficking 34.125 kilos of heroin and distributing counterfeit U.S. bills totalling more than 90,000 dollars.

Two other men allegedly involved in that case committed suicide prior to the trial. Authorities detected over 10,000 drug-related offenses last year and arresting 19,500 people, according to official statistics.

(la/dpa)