Vietnamese TikTokers Sentenced to Nine Years for Organizing Drug Use

A court in Ho Chi Minh City has sentenced two popular Vietnamese TikTokers, Nguyen Nhat Duy and Nguyen Van Hoang, to nine years in prison each for organizing drug use. The court also handed down an 11-year sentence to Tran Kim Thanh for illegally trading drugs.

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The defendants are TikTokers with hundreds of thousands, even millions of followers on social media platforms. These influencers not only create entertainment content but also impact the thoughts and behaviors of many people, especially the youth.

Duy, 28, and Hoang, 25, co-owned the TikTok channel "Nhat Duy•Nhat Hoang," which had nearly 100,000 followers. Hoang also ran a personal TikTok account with close to 600,000 followers, some of whose videos garnered over a million likes. The prosecution argued that instead of spreading positive values, these influencers created a negative image and lifestyle for young people.

The court emphasized the dangerous nature of the defendants' actions, which violated state drug control policies and negatively impacted local security. The prosecution specifically pointed out the significant influence these social media personalities have on the youth. "When celebrities violate drug laws, they erode fan trust and can negatively influence the perceptions of young people," the prosecution stated.

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Drug use not only causes serious harm to one's health, spirit, and future but also creates a negative image in the community.

During the trial, the defendants, who lacked legal representation, admitted to their crimes. They acknowledged their awareness of drug harms but cited base desires and a lack of proper conduct as reasons for their offenses. They pleaded for leniency to return to society as useful citizens. The prosecution had initially recommended sentences ranging from 9 to 10.5 years for the defendants involved in drug use and trade.

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We admit to our wrongdoings. Although we are old enough to understand our mistakes, we have not lived a standard life, leading to violations of the law.