Vietnam record drug seizure suspects convicted

December 27, 2009 Five Chinese nationals, identified as Lu Mingcheng (52), Wan Huilan (42), Chan Kwok Kwong (52), Ngan Chiu Kuen (42) and Ieong Chi Kai (52), were sentenced to death by firing squad for trafficking nearly eight tons of marijuana by sea.

The People's Court of the northern Quang Ninh Province made the sentence after a four-day trial, and confiscated 19,600 jeans used for smuggling, HK$1.5 million (278,262 Yuan, US$10,485) in assets. The group were hired in April 2008 by individuals known by A Giai and A Tran to transfer the marijuana from Pakistan to Canada and were caught on May 12, 2008.

The seizure is one of the largest in Vietnam's history, a country with strict drug laws.