A Vietnamese court sentenced three people, one a women,...

A Vietnamese court sentenced three people, one a women, to death by firing squad and two to life in prison after they were found guilty of trafficking 346 kg of opium, official media reported. The Hanoi Moi (New Hanoi) daily said Chu Van Nhat, Ha La Thuyen and the woman, Pham Thi Huong, were sentenced to death by the Hanoi People's Court after a three-day hearing.
Two of the nine-member drug-running gang were sentenced to life terms and the remaining four were handed jail sentences of 15 to 18 years, the newspaper said.
The gang had trafficked opium since July 2000 from the western province of Son La to Cao Bang province on the border with China. Court officials declined to comment.
The Hanoi Moi said the drug ring had sold seven kg (15.5 lb) of opium, known in Vietnam as "black rice", to China. Trafficking in more than five kg (11 lb) of opium or 600 grams (1.3 lb) of heroin is punishable by death in Vietnam.
In March three Vietnamese people were sentenced to death for heroin trafficking in the northern province of Quang Ninh, also on the border with China.