Nguyen Van Toan, 46, and Lu Van Hai, 35, received the dealth penalty for "illegal trading of narcotic substances" at the trial in Nghe An Province. Ho Sy Long, 44, who served as their driver, was sentenced to 20 years behind bars for drug smuggling.

In May last year, Toan hired Long to drive him to Hai in the same province to buy two packs of heroin, of nearly 700 grams (1.5 pounds), for VND360 million ($15,480).

Toan brought the drugs to Ho Chi Minh City, a day drive away, and sold it to a man whom police are yet to identify, for VND420 million and paid Long VND2 million.

In June, Toan again hired Long to buy three packs of heroin from Hai for VND520 million. Long got VND5 million for this trip.

Also in June, Toan and Long visited Hai for another three packs of heroin and one kilo of meth.

They got caught by the police on the drive back.

In the three transactions, they had traded drugs weighing over 4.8 kilos.

Vietnam is a key trafficking hub for narcotics from the Golden Triangle, an intersection of China, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar that is the world's second largest drug producing area after the Golden Crescent in South Asia.

In Vietnam, those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine can receive the death penalty. The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death.