A Vietnamese court on Tuesday handed down two death sentences and six life imprisonment sentences on local drug traffickers.

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Court gave the death sentences to 29-year-old Tran Tuan An and 30-year-old Le Nguyen Hoang Anh. The court also handed down life imprisonment sentences to six local people, and jail terms of three to 20 years to six other defendants.

According to the indictment, from March to June 2013, the 14 defendants bought and sold 213 cakes of heroin weighing over 70 kg in some provinces and cities.

According to Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty.

Source : XINHUA