A Cambodia court has sentenced a 22-year-old Thai woman to
life imprisonment for trafficking 2.5 kilogrammes of cocaine from the
United Arab Emirates.
Amphawan Kaewkanlaya claimed she was tricked into carrying the drugs
by her Nigerian boyfriend's older brother. She was also fined 60
million riel (about 535,000 baht).
Police found packages of cocaine, totaling 2.5kg, hidden in boxes of Lindt chocolates in her luggage.
"The court has decided to give her a life sentence and a fine of 60
million riel to be put in the national budget," Phnom Penh Municipal
Court presiding judge Heng Kessaror said in passing judgement on
Thursday, January 5th.
"The court orders the confiscation of the drugs seized and other drug-related material to be destroyed," he added.
Amphawan said she would appeal the judgement and maintained she was
innocent. During her trial last month she said she was unaware the
package she accepted from her boyfriend’s brother, the boxes of Swiss
chocolates, during her visit to the UAE contained drugs.
"It is so unjust for me. I will consider my appeal of the judgment to the Appeal Court,"she said.
During her trial last month, Amphawan said she traveled from Thailand
to Dubai in March to visit her Nigerian boyfriend, Uche, and his family there
.
Her boyfriend had paid for her airline tickets, visa, food and
accommodation, she said. Before returning home last month, she was given
the boxes of Lindt
chocolates by Uche’s older brother, whose name she could not recall. He
had asked her to take the chocolates to a friend of his in Cambodia.
She said she became aware the hidden drugs only when she was detained
at Phnom Penh International Airport and police inspected the boxes.
Police seized 2,594 grammes of cocaine and charged her with transporting an illicit drug, possession and trafficking.
Source: Khmer Times