Couple jailed for organizing drug party on wedding night

Nguyen Duc Anh, 23, the husband, received eight years and Pham Khanh Linh, 22, got nine years at their trial in Thai Binh Province on Monday. Six of their friends got sentences of 5.5 to nine years.

Anh and Linh got married on March 16. After the wedding ceremony, they invited the six friends to stay overnight.

Linh suggested that the group should buy recreational drugs at a local hotel and stay there, and Anh gave VND6.4 million ($275) to them for the purpose.

Two hours later their hotel room was raided by the police, who found and seized 6.7 kg of ecstasy and 7.4 kg of ketamine.

Anh and Linh were not present in the room.

Linh said the VND6.4 million Anh gave was for the room, taxi and food, and that she neither suggested nor knew her friends used drugs.

All eight defendants denied the charges in court, saying they were coerced by prosecutors to admit to the charges.

They have all appealed their sentences.

Vietnam has seen a rise in drug use and trafficking. Busts and convictions are reported in the country almost every week though it has very tough drug laws.

Producing, smuggling, trading, or possessing a certain quantity of drugs is punishable by death.