Vietnam to try 227 in major drug case involving flight attendants and celebrities

A sprawling drug trafficking case involving 227 defendants, including four flight attendants allegedly exploited to transport narcotics, is set to go to trial in Ho Chi Minh City. The proceedings, scheduled from August 17 to September 12, will be conducted both in person and online.

The defendants face charges ranging from organizing and possessing illegal drugs to trafficking and concealing criminal activity. Among those indicted are singer Chi Dân, accused of organizing drug use; Spanish model Andrea Aybar Carmona, also known as An Tây, facing charges of organizing and possessing drugs; and Nguyen Do Truc Phuong, a charity figure known as 'cô tiên' (fairy), accused of organizing drug use.

The case, codenamed VN10, came to light in March 2023 when customs officials at Tan Son Nhat International Airport discovered suspicious toothpaste tubes in the luggage of four flight attendants arriving from France. A total of 327 tubes contained significant quantities of Ketamine and MDMA, totaling nearly 3 kilograms and over 8 kilograms respectively.

Authorities identified 'Huu Son,' whose real name is Ha Danh Nam, as the alleged ringleader who is currently a fugitive and will be tried in absentia. Nam is accused of masterminding the smuggling of six previous shipments of synthetic drugs, concealed in items like toothpaste and health supplements, by exploiting Vietnamese individuals living and studying in France to collect goods.