Tran Van Cuong, a major link in the ring, and five others were charged with "illegally trading and trafficking narcotics."

Two other members involved with the gang were sentenced to life.

They worked for a gang run by Vu Hoang Oanh, 64, who has been on the run since 2018 and is wanted by Interpol.

Her gang transported nearly 100 kg of drugs, including heroin, synthetic drugs and methamphetamine from Cambodia to HCMC and distributed them to drug suppliers, earning profits of dozens of billions of dong (VND1 billion equivalent to $43,385), the court heard.

Police officers said Oanh has close connections with big names in the Cambodian underworld.

She had a drug warehouse in Cambodia near the Vietnam border, from where her gang transported them to HCMC.

Her gang was busted in May 2018, but Oanh manage to flee overseas.

Vietnam is a key trafficking hub for narcotics despite having some of the world’s toughest drug laws.

Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of meth face the death penalty.

The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death.