VietNamNet Bridge – The People's Court of northern Ha Giang Province on Wednesday, July 24, sentenced nine men to a total of 21 years' imprisonment for illegally storing, transporting and trafficking weapons.

The ringleader, Nong Van Kieu, 45, will spend six years in prison alongside eight of his accomplices, including Nong Hoang Hoa and Hoang Kim Trieu, who were also sentenced in the trial.

Other sentences ranged from two to five years' imprisonment, with one accomplice granted probation.

Kieu was found guilty of trafficking 12 military-grade weapons between June 2011 and November 2012, including AK and CKC rifles.

The court found the defendants had pocketed hundreds of millions of dong from their illegal activities.

Up to VND100 million (US$4,700) worth of bullets and bomb detonators were seized from the defendants' houses.

In the meantime, Ha Noi's Police last night arrested two teenagers for illegally carrying a homemade rifle while driving a motorbike at the intersection of Nguyen Chi Thanh – Huynh Thuc Khang.

The two suspects admitted that they had collected rifle at Nguyen Chi Thanh Street after ordering it from an online shop.

The case is under investigation.

Source: VNS