HANOI, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Eight Vietnamese people were sentenced to death for trafficking 379 cakes of heroin weighing over 132 kg and 55 kg of crystal methamphetamine, local media reported on Tuesday.

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Court on Monday passed the sentences on the eight defendants, including seven men and one woman, who were members of a ring transporting heroin from central Da Nang city to southern Ho Chi Minh City, daily newspaper Vietnam News reported.

The ringleader, a 45-year-old man, received drugs from a Lao man in Da Nang and then trafficked them to Ho Chi Minh City to hand over to his underlings. Police are hunting down others linked with the traffickers.

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