An 80-something Swiss national who tried to bring methamphetamine from Cambodia to Jeju has been sentenced to prison.
According to legal sources on the 2nd, the Jeju District Court Criminal Division 2 (Presiding Judge Lim Jae-nam) sentenced A, a Swiss national in their 80s who was indicted and detained on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (psychotropic drugs), to three years and six months in prison.
A was caught on Mar. 30 after hiding 2.98 kilograms of methamphetamine in a suitcase at Phnom Penh International Airport in Cambodia, checking it as airline baggage, and attempting to enter Jeju International Airport via Hong Kong International Airport. Based on a typical single dose of 0.03 grams, the seized methamphetamine is enough for 99,000 doses.
During the trial, A's side argued, "We only entered carrying a suitcase at the request of an unknown person, and did not know there were drugs inside." A's attorney said, "An unknown person met through social media (SNS) proposed paying $8.5 million (about 12.1 billion won) if the suitcase containing gifts was delivered to a Japanese bank official, which led to transporting the bag."
The court said, "Considering the circumstances such as how the defendant came to go to Cambodia and the purpose of bringing the suitcase, it does not appear that the defendant clearly recognized that the suitcase contained drugs," but added, "Given the defendant's social experience, it is reasonable to conclude the defendant recognized the possibility of being asked to deliver items whose import is prohibited, such as drugs, through an unusual transaction accompanied by a large reward."
However, the court determined that the defendant did not recognize that the value of the methamphetamine illegally imported exceeded 50 million won.