Aliens get death for drug smuggling

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)