Indonesian woman found guilty of methamphetamine deal
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Vientiane (Vientiane Times) -- Vientiane People's Court recently found an Indonesian woman guilty of involvement in a methamphetamine deal which took place in Laos, according to a local newspaper.
The 37-year-old woman was charged at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane on August 18 after officials found 6 kilogrammes of metha mphetamine concealed in her luggage.
The Lao Phatthana Daily newspaper did not give more details as to whether she is going to appeal or not or whether she is being held in custody in Laos. Normally, the alleged offender is permitted to appeal the court's decision within 20 d ays of the verdict being delivered.
Vientiane Times made several phone calls to the Indonesian Embassy in Laos on Tuesday, but no one answered. We also sent emails to ask for more details on the case but so far we have not received any response.
According to the newspaper, the woman confessed that on August 24, 2013, she became acquainted with a foreign man and they discussed a potential methamphetamine smuggling venture.
After reaching an agreement, the man gave her a round trip ticket and US$800 to fly to India, where she received a bag from another man in that country.
She later flew to Singapore before catching a flight from Singapore to Wattay International Airport on August 18, where police found 6 kilogrammes of methamphetamine and some foreign currency in her procession.
Recently, local newspapers have featured a few headlines about methamphetamine busts even though senior police have rejected the fact that Laos could be a target country for the methamphetamine trade.
Apparently, however, this is the second such case after a Myanmar national was also charged with a methamphetamine deal involving10 kilogrammes of the drug.
Chairman of the Lao National Drug Control and Supervision Committee, Kou Chansina, told Vientiane Time earlier this month that Laos is not a main target country in terms of the methamphetamine trade.
“Methamphetamines are mostly used by celebrities and the higher classes for entertainment purposes in some countries but in Laos the number of users is still small,” he said.
The number of users of amphetamine type substances, particularly ya ba, is considered to be higher compared to other drugs including methamphetamines, Kou said.
