Thai gets 15 years for heroin possession

Thai gets 15 years for heroin possession

TANGERANG (JP): Thai national Khancana Thiangthum, 29, could
wept on Tuesday after a presiding judge sentenced her to 15 years
in prison plus a fine of Rp 150 million (US$20,000) after finding
her guilty of possession of heroin.

"The defendant was found guilty of violating Article 81 of Law
No. 22/1997 on narcotics for being in possession of 1,750 grams
of heroin," said presiding judge Lucia Usmany.

"The defendant arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
on Aug. 31 last year on Thai Airlines flight number TG 433 from
Bangkok," she added.

Lucia explained that customs officers became suspicious when
Khancana paced back and forth in front of the customs counter
while holding a blue bag.

"Security officers then approached the defendant and put her
luggage through an X-ray machine. The monitor revealed a
suspicious result," she said, adding that officers found white
powder inside the bag.

A report from the police's forensic laboratory, dated Sept. 30
last year, confirmed that the powder was pure heroin.

"I was waiting for another Thai, Hanken, who was to collect
the luggage. I didn't even know that it contained heroin,"
Khancana told the court. She said she received US$2,000 to carry
the luggage to Indonesia.

Khancana's lawyer, John Kalangit, said he was considering
appealing the verdict. The sentence was exactly the same as that
demanded by prosecutor Supriati. (41/nvn)