A British student’s high-flying ambitions came crashing down when his ill-fated bid to smuggle a suitcase brimming with cannabis from Thailand was thwarted. The desperate act was all in the name of funding his university education, a courtroom in Austria heard.

 

The 29 year old mature student, travelling with his 24 year old girlfriend, was nabbed during a layover in Vienna, en route to Amsterdam, carrying an astonishing 33 kilogrammes of cannabis. The haul, valued at nearly £350,000 (14.7 million baht), was uncovered by a sharp-eyed customs officer, prosecutors revealed to Korneuburg Regional Court.

 

In a tearful confession, the student, whose identity remains under wraps, claimed the lure of 10,000 euros (380,000 baht) for the drug run came from a mysterious pub acquaintance in London.

 

“I wanted to use this money for my tuition fees.”

 

The National World reported that the courtroom was thick with emotion as the pair, who had funded their flights, were faced with the grim prospect of up to 15 years behind bars. Dominik Wild, representing the girlfriend, insisted to the court that they weren’t your typical drug traffickers.

 

 

The couple sat hand in hand, while the student’s lawyer, Alexander Prenner, painted a picture of dire financial straits, saying his university education could rack up costs of 100,000 euros (3.8 million baht).

 

“Young people are being shamelessly exploited.”

 

In an unexpected twist of leniency, judges opted for compassion despite the substantial drug stash. The student, detained since July, received a 30-month sentence but will only serve six months. With time served, he might be home for Christmas cheer.

 

The presiding judge underscored the principle of “general prevention,” saying: “That’s why the defendant is not going home today. There are enough people who are in need and who do not commit criminal acts.”

 

As for the girlfriend, she walked away with just a one-year suspended sentence. In a poignant gesture, judges granted the couple an extra two minutes to share a farewell before the student was led to the cells.

 

By Bob Scott

Picture courtesy of info.gov.hk

 

Source: The Thaiger

-- 2024-11-11

 

 

4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

I wanted to use this money for my tuition fees.

Looking on the bright side, he can now get his degree in prison free of charge!

 

Girlfriend uses pussy pass.

20 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A British student’s high-flying ambitions came crashing down when his ill-fated bid to smuggle a suitcase brimming with cannabis from Thailand was thwarted.

Well, it's against the law and drug smuggling laws have some serious teeth.  My guess is that he was a pretty dumb student.  If he'd been caught in many countries he'd be serving enough time to earn a Juris Doctorate while in prison.  He should be happy he wasn't nabbed during a stop-over in the UAE or Saudi Arabia or Turkey  Six months?  <cue sound of wet bamii noodles hitting the back of his hands>

12 hours ago, connda said:

<cue sound of wet bamii noodles hitting the back of his hands>

 

???????

12 hours ago, connda said:

Well, it's against the law and drug smuggling laws have some serious teeth.  My guess is that he was a pretty dumb student.  If he'd been caught in many countries he'd be serving enough time to earn a Juris Doctorate while in prison.  He should be happy he wasn't nabbed during a stop-over in the UAE or Saudi Arabia or Turkey  Six months?  <cue sound of wet bamii noodles hitting the back of his hands>

"UAE or Saudi Arabia or Turkey"? Sure not good but Singapore they shoot you. In transit is all it needs.

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The 29 year old mature student, travelling with his 24 year old girlfriend, was nabbed during a layover in Vienna, en route to Amsterdam, carrying an astonishing 33 kilogrammes of cannabis. The haul, valued at nearly £350,000 (14.7 million baht), was uncovered by a sharp-eyed customs officer, prosecutors revealed to Korneuburg Regional Court.

Debatable..

More positive humanitarian stories please

Exporting drugs to Amsterdam what genius do we have here then 🤔

33 kg! Any room for clothes amongst that cannabis?

How did it get out of Thailand without being seen on the scanner and if you were trying to smuggle drugs why would you choose a flight with so many stops increasing the risk of being caught 🙈

19 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Looking on the bright side, he can now get his degree in prison free of charge!

 

Girlfriend uses pussy pass.

 

Prisons all over the world, are often regarded Criminal University.

New comers learn how to get skilled in illicit trade.

And the old veterans brush up their know-hows.

They were apprehended in Austria, instead of Thailand.

Very lucky, truly lucky SO*.

If they were in Singapore, they won't get out alive.

Or in Thailand, they'll have to do their time behind the bards  for the next 10-20 years minimum...

19 hours ago, connda said:

he was a pretty dumb student.  

 

Undoubtfully.

At least, never looks like the Best and Brightest in his campus...

Well, that was a waste of the excess baggage fee...

Britain used to be one of the great civilizations of human history.

Nowadays it's more like a "garbage in, garbage out" kinda country.

Sad.

Bringing weed through Amsterdam, could have bought it there and get much better quality too.

Another example if you're unintelligent and/or delusional you might as well go for all the marbles because there isn't much to lose if you get caught. Six months and out in time for Christmas? What a joke.

vienna? so no jail time...

On 11/12/2024 at 8:47 AM, ronster said:

How did it get out of Thailand without being seen on the scanner and if you were trying to smuggle drugs why would you choose a flight with so many stops increasing the risk of being caught 🙈

Not the sharpest knife in the draw

On 11/12/2024 at 7:18 AM, hotchilli said:

Debatable..

Yes, and don't you just love the carefully crafted,tearful, young-and-in-love couple holding hands, while he, 29 years-old, delivers his tear-jerker and pathetic excuse ?

Brilliant!

Unbelievably, and pathetically weak sentence.

Rest assured, this little play-act will be replicated world-wide as an excuse.

They knew exactly what they were doing!

 

But at least we all know now that there will be a thorough investigation as to where the stuff came from, who they bought it from and even more importantly - how they managed to bypass Thai security at the airport, yes?

He was so lucky to get sentenced in Austria. I take my hat off to his defense lawyer! You're very good at your job.

I think a German court might have been more lenient on the smuggling charge because possession of certain amounts is now legal there. He should have taken a direct flight to Frankfurt.  

 

I guess the Thai authorities don't want to bust these guys for illegal exports because it is still export business for them nonetheless.

The war on drugs is a pointless waste of time, money and lives. Legalise. regulate, control, and tax.

It seems like a fairly righteous verdict, and it seems like he was fortunate enough to get a reasonable judge. Ganja is such a minor crime and it hurts no one, granted it can destroy ambition and it can make one lazy and lethargic, but it's not like he was smuggling yaba, fentanyl, cocaine or heroine, we're not talking about a drug that kills.

 

The entire "War on Drugs" is completely ridiculous. I give this judge a lot of credit. 

On 11/12/2024 at 10:13 AM, ModdaPunk said:

Nowadays it's more like a "garbage in, garbage out" kinda country.

We have allowed our country to become the illegal migration capital of the world, by progressively more left wing Parliaments, Media & Judiciary. This is what happens when you dilute your population with people that come from broken, corrupt countries. This is a warning to other countries like Japan, that are thinking of opening up. 

On 11/12/2024 at 8:47 AM, ronster said:

How did it get out of Thailand without being seen on the scanner and if you were trying to smuggle drugs why would you choose a flight with so many stops increasing the risk of being caught 🙈

 

    Thailand authorities  may have noticed it and didn't want the hassle and expense  of dealing with it and just informed the destination instead 

7 hours ago, Bundooman said:

But at least we all know now that there will be a thorough investigation as to where the stuff came from, who they bought it from and even more importantly - how they managed to bypass Thai security at the airport, yes?

One hopes so, this amount of drugs getting through Thai security is or should be very embarrassing

15 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

One hopes so, this amount of drugs getting through Thai security is or should be very embarrassing

 

   Thailand usually just informs the destination that some drugs are on the way and lets the people get on the flight 

On 11/17/2024 at 4:37 PM, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Thailand usually just informs the destination that some drugs are on the way and lets the people get on the flight 

 

Makes sense. Saves a lot of trouble and expense. Thailand's prisons are overcrowded enough.  I think the crime is quite minor in Thailand anyway - exporting a legal substance without an export license.