The woman, Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto, 51, was arrested on December 7 after arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in transit from Shanghai to Melbourne. Malaysia’s customs chief said Monday a search of her bag as she attempted to leave the airport revealed 1.5 kilogrammes (52 oz) of crystal methamphetamine, or “ice”, stitched into a secret compartment.
Anyone with at least 50
grams of the drug is considered a trafficker in Muslim-majority Malaysia, which
imposes a mandatory sentence of death by hanging upon conviction. Attorney
Tania Scivetti said her client was “duped into carrying the bag” by an African
man who asked her to take it to Melbourne. She added that the suspect was not
attempting to enter Malaysia, but was unfamiliar with the airport and had
merely followed a crowd toward immigration.
“She is okay, but very
confused,” Scivetti said. “With the facts I have at the moment, this is not an
easy case but a do-able one.” The defendant was expected to appear in court to
be charged on Thursday or Friday. Australian media have said the alleged drug
mule is a mother of four from the Sydney area.S civetti said she is an
unemployed former factory worker. Hundreds of people are on death row in
Malaysia, many for drug-related offences, though few have been executed in
recent years.
Freemalaysiatoday
African? where? which part of Africa?
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