Six death penalities in drugs trial

Six death penalties, three life sentences and jail terms of between 17 and 20 years were handed down to 16 drug smugglers at the end of a three day trial in Hanoi, Dec. 23. The gang was convicted of smuggling 24.8 kilograms of heroin, 4.8 kilograms of opium, and 400 amphetamine tablets into Vietnam from Laos between 2000 and Jan. 2004. Heroin is still widely available in Vietnam despite anti-drug campaigns. Deutsche Press-Agentur reports that, "Based on reports appearing in the state-run press, Vietnam has executed at least 63 people since the beginning of 2004." Over half of these are executed for drug offenses. Under Vietnamese law the death penalty can be applied in cases involving more than 100 grams of heorin, although it is normally applied to cases of more than 600 grams. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Dec. 23).