Vietnam: 33 Sentenced in Paris Night Bar Drug Case

A court in Vietnam's Lam Dong province has handed down prison sentences to 33 defendants involved in a drug case stemming from the Paris Night bar in Phan Thiet. The verdicts were delivered on June 2 after days of trial and deliberation.

The defendants faced charges including facilitating illegal drug use, organizing illegal drug use, and illegal possession of drugs. The court sentenced 15 individuals for facilitating drug use, with Mạnh Trọng Toản, the owner of Paris Night bar, receiving the longest sentence of 8 years.

Several key figures managing the bar's operations also received significant prison terms. Trần Mạnh Anh, the legal representative and business manager, Phạm Hoàng Minh, the human resources and security manager, Phan Minh Huy, a service staff member, and Lê Văn Hiếu, the security team leader, were each sentenced to 7 years. Ten other bar employees received sentences ranging from 2.5 to 5 years.

Customers involved in organizing drug use at VIP tables also faced severe penalties. Four defendants from VIP table 2 were additionally charged with illegal drug possession, receiving sentences between 8 and 8.5 years. Fourteen defendants in total were sentenced for organizing drug use, with sentences ranging from 4.5 to 7.5 years. Many defendants acknowledged their guilt and requested leniency. The case, which involved police discovering multiple groups of customers using drugs at VIP tables on May 1, 2025, serves as a warning against drug-related criminal activities.