Vietnam court sentences 11 to death in major drug trafficking case

A Vietnamese court sentenced 11 people to death in a major drug trafficking case involving 227 defendants, state media reported Thursday. The case originated from a 2023 airport seizure. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Court issued the verdicts, with at least 20 others receiving life imprisonment. The investigation began after four flight attendants were caught with over 10 kg of drugs hidden in toothpaste tubes at Tan Son Nhat airport. Prosecutors described a transnational network smuggling narcotics from France disguised as consumer goods. The verdicts come as Vietnam considers abolishing the death penalty for six offenses, including drug trafficking, though proposed changes have not yet taken effect.