Vietnam court sentences 11 to death in major drug trafficking case, state media reports

A Vietnamese court in Ho Chi Minh City sentenced 11 individuals to death for drug trafficking, stemming from a major transnational case that began in March 2023. The investigation was initiated after four Vietnam Airlines flight attendants were found with over 10 kg of drugs hidden in toothpaste tubes upon arrival from Paris. Authorities determined the flight attendants unknowingly transported the narcotics, leading to the uncovering of a network that smuggled drugs disguised as consumer goods from France into Vietnam using encrypted messaging and false bank accounts. In total, 227 people were accused in the case, with at least 20 others receiving life imprisonment. These verdicts come as Vietnam considers abolishing the death penalty for six offenses, including drug trafficking, though these proposed changes are not yet in effect.