About 100 people are sentenced to death each year for drug-related offenses in Vietnam, where trafficking or possessing 1.3 pounds (600 grams) of heroin is punishable by death.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A court in northern Vietnam has sentenced six people to death for heroin trafficking.

The State-run Tuoi Tre newspaper said Wednesday the six were convicted of trafficking 73 pounds (33 kilograms) of heroin from 2007-2009.

Four other defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment on the same charges at the trial at the People's Court in Hoa Binh province.

The court handed down jail terms from one year to 20 years against 11 others for illegal drug trading or failure to report criminals to authorities.

The trial ended Tuesday.

About 100 people are sentenced to death each year for drug-related offenses in Vietnam, where trafficking or possessing 1.3 pounds (600 grams) of heroin is punishable by death.