Aliens get death for drug smuggling

JAKARTA (JP): Two Thai nationals and an Indian citizen were sentenced to death yesterday by a court in Medan after being found guilty of smuggling 12.19 kg of heroin.

Sealow Prasert (55) and Namsong Sirilak (22) from Thailand and Ayodya Prasat Chawbey (53) from India, were found guilty by the Medan District Court for attempting to bring in the contraband through Polonia airport from Bangkok in February, the Antara news agency reported.

Tried in separate hearings, they were given the maximum penalty allowed under the 1976 anti-narcotics law.

Namsong, a housewife with a two-year old boy in Thailand, broke into tears immediately after her translator and lawyers explained the verdict read by Judge Bahauddin Qaudri. The other two defendants looked nervous throughout the hearing.

Bahauddin said he opted for the maximum sentence because of the size of the haul and because all three were uncooperative, all maintaining their innocence, throughout their trials.

The Thai nationals were arrested at the airport shortly after their disembarked from a Silk Air plane from Singapore. Upon their arrest, they told the police that they were carrying the contraband for Ayodya whom they met in Bangkok in return for an equivalent of $670. They also informed the police that Ayodya was awaiting their arrival at a hotel in Medan.

Lawyers Djaffar Siddiq and Abdul Aziz, who are defending the three people, said they would appeal against the sentences. They pointed out that an international campaign is now underway to waive all death sentences. (emb/imn)