On April 10, the Da Nang People’s Court held a trial and handed down sentences for three defendants involved in the operation.

Vo Thi Thuy Tien (born 1985, from Quang Binh) received a prison term of 7 years and 6 months. Tran Van Huy (born 1989, from Ha Tinh) was sentenced to 5 years, while Luong Minh Duc (born 1995, from Quang Binh) received an 18-month suspended sentence. All were convicted of “organizing illegal exits from Vietnam.”

According to the indictment, from 2023 to 2024, Nguyen Anh Cuong (born 1979, from Quang Binh), currently residing in Germany, collaborated with the three convicted individuals to seek out and coordinate with Vietnamese citizens seeking labor opportunities in European countries.

The group fabricated visas and arranged for multiple individuals to leave Vietnam illegally.

Tien organized illegal exits for four Vietnamese citizens and assisted in four additional cases. She unlawfully profited by collecting €17,000 (approximately USD 18,200) and over VND 66.7 million (roughly USD 2,640).

Tran Van Huy, from April 26 to April 30, 2024, helped Cuong smuggle five clients out of the country and received an illicit profit of VND 5 million (USD 200).

Luong Minh Duc also assisted Cuong by guiding four people through the illegal exit process and was paid VND 5 million (USD 200) for his help.

Cuong is accused of forging Polish "D-type" visas for 14 Vietnamese citizens to facilitate their unauthorized departure. These visas were issued in violation of legal procedures, as the individuals did not meet the legal criteria for exit.

To further evade authorities, Cuong prepared fake labor contracts for the individuals to present during immigration checks. In reality, these people did not intend to work as declared but used the documents to legitimize their departure.

Cuong is believed to have received approximately VND 642 million (USD 25,400) and €15,000 (approximately USD 16,000) from Tien for his role in the operation.

The Da Nang court concluded that Cuong's actions constituted the crime of “organizing illegal exits.” As he is currently abroad, the Ministry of Public Security’s Investigative Security Agency has issued an official wanted notice.

Ho Giap