Vietnamese sex trafficking probe uncovers murder of young woman in remote forest
The police on Friday (July 4) announced that they had completed their case file and handed it over to prosecutors, recommending charges against four suspects.
The charges include murder, procuring prostitution, harbouring a criminal, and purchasing sex with a minor.
The main suspect, Nguyen Thi Thuy, 43, is accused of both murder and running a prostitution operation. Her husband, Ta Dinh Phuc, 38, faces charges for procuring prostitution.
Two others - H Ko Nie, also known as My, 30, and Ngo Xuan Canh, 48 - are accused of harbouring a criminal and purchasing sex with a person under 18, respectively.
The case came to light during a broader investigation into a prostitution network allegedly run by Thuy and Phuc. But the investigation took a darker turn when Thuy's 12-year-old son and a 14-year-old girl named Linh came forward, revealing that Thuy had been involved in a murder committed in mid-2024.
Under the direction of Bui Quang Binh, the then–Hai Duong's Police Chief (now Hai Phong's Police Chief), a special task force was assembled to investigate.
The team faced major obstacles: witnesses had used fake names, many had left the area, and there was no clear information about the victim's identity.
It wasn't until investigators interviewed Linh, My, and another witness - a 15-year-old girl from Thanh Hóa - that they located the site where the body had been dumped: a remote forest area in Ban Ngo Commune, Xin Man District, now part of Tuyen Quang Province.
However, the victim's identity was still unknown.
The only clues were that her name might be Ngoc and that she was from Phu Tho Province. Working with local authorities and comparing old photographs with residency records, police eventually identified her as N.T.K.K., a 30-year-old woman from Phu Tho.
According to the investigation, Thuy was awaiting the enforcement of several previous criminal sentences when she opened an eatery called Minh Ngoc in Hai Duong (now part of Hai Phong City).
Through online platforms, she recruited young women and girls, forced them into sex work, and housed them in a rented property on Kim Son Street.
In April 2024, two girls - K. (the victim) and another teen - were brought in. Because K. was small and thin, Thuy assigned her to work at the restaurant instead of serving clients.
Later, two other girls, including Linh and My, joined the operation. K. and another one were responsible for housekeeping duties at the restaurant and dormitory.
Over time, K. became a frequent target of Thuy's violence. On the night of July 16, 2024, Thuy accused K. of stealing VNĐ11.5 million (about US$450) from her and My. She allegedly forced K. to undress, beat her with a metal pipe, then wrapped her in a towel and brought her to the restaurant to continue the assault.
K. was left naked in the kitchen overnight. The next morning, Thuy reportedly ordered Linh to slap her and pour cleaning fluid over her body. Later, in a final act of brutality, Thuy cut off part of K.'s pinky finger with a knife in an attempt to force a confession.
That night, K. died from her injuries. Around midnight, Thuy allegedly forced My, Linh, and another girl named L. to help dispose of the body, threatening to expose their involvement in prostitution if they refused.
She packed the body and blood-stained clothes into a car and initially drove toward Quang Ninh. But upon seeing surveillance cameras along the route, she turned back. Early the next morning, the group took the Hanoi–Hai Phong expressway, searching for a more secluded location.
Linh searched online and suggested Bac Ha District in Lao Cai Province, but they couldn't find a suitable spot. Eventually, they reached Xin Man District.
Near the People's Committee office of Ban Ngo Commune, they dumped the body in a deep pit and began driving home. On the way back, their car broke down in Nam Dan Commune.
Based on the investigation, authorities determined that Linh and L., who were both only 14 years old at the time, are not criminally liable under Vietnam's law for helping conceal the crime.
The case is now with the People's Procuracy, pending prosecution. - Vietnam News/ANN
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