Meth Queen Extradited

⏱ 2 min read

Demi Pham, a 44-year-old dual U.S.-Vietnamese citizen, has been extradited from Singapore to face methamphetamine trafficking charges in California. Pham, also known as ‘Diem Thi Ly’, is accused of conspiring to export controlled substances and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The alleged crimes took place between November 2018 and May 2019, when Pham and a co-conspirator enlisted couriers to transport methamphetamine and cocaine from the United States to Australia, hiding the drugs inside candles and toy boxes.

Pham’s extradition comes after she failed to appear for a hearing in May 2022, the day before her trial was set to begin. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest, and she was eventually apprehended in Singapore in November 2025. She arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday evening and is expected to make her initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana.

According to the indictment, law enforcement seized over 20 kilograms (44.1 pounds) of methamphetamine from couriers and found an additional 10 kilograms (22.1 pounds) at Pham’s residence in Rosemead. If convicted, Pham faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Pham pleaded not guilty to the charges in October 2021, and her trial is expected to proceed now that she has been extradited.