Australia Busts Heroin Smuggler From Bangkok

[george]

Australia busts heroin smuggler from Bangkok

SYDNEY: -- A 29-year-old American has been arrested at Sydney Airport trying to smuggle more than one kilo of heroin after flying in from Bangkok, Australian newspapers report.

The man arrived in Sydney on a flight from Thailand and was expected to appear in Sydney's Central Local Court today.

Customs officers allegedly found the heroin concealed in the sides and base of the man's suitcase after he was selected for a baggage examination last night.

An X-ray of the hard-sided suitcase revealed anomalies consistent with a concealment, the Australian Customs Service said today. A trace-particle detection test indicated the possible presence of heroin, Customs said.

The exact quantity of heroin was yet to be determined but it was estimated to be in excess of 1kg, according to the Australian reports.

The man has been charged by Australian Federal Police with attempting to import a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug.

The maximum penalty for drug smuggling is a fine of up to $750,000 and/or life imprisonment.

--Bangkok Post 2006-04-26

[taxexile]

ha !

he must of thought that he was clear in front and well on down the home straight once he had cleared bangkok customs and was sitting on the plane.

how wrong he was.

[markuk]

why do bangkok customs let these guys go? he will get much easier time in Australia - they should send him back here for sentencing.

[taxexile]

i suppose that he just wasnt detected here in bangkok , they must be kicking themselves , because they always like to broadcast their successes.

[Axel]

Customs at Bangkok does not check outgoing bags, neither checked-in baggage nor hand carried.

X-ray for security is a different thing.

[jdinasia]

He was lucky! The Aussies will treat him in a far kinder method ....

[Rooo]

They even do random substance checking on your person at Sydney,to detect drugs & any traces of materials that can be used in explosives.They run this machine that looks like a BAR CODE reader over you then it prints the results.

[Scott]

I've often wondered how they handle the visa requirements for staying in a country. Some of these people are damned near eligible for citizenship after they finish their stint on foreign soil! (Except for the criminal records check, of course).

[ColPyat]

I've often wondered how they handle the visa requirements for staying in a country. Some of these people are damned near eligible for citizenship after they finish their stint on foreign soil! (Except for the criminal records check, of course).

Here in Thailand foreign prisoners are sent, after havng finished their sentence, straight to the IDC (immigration detention center) and will get deported from there.

[ProfessorFart]

The maximum penalty for drug smuggling is a fine of up to $750,000 and/or life imprisonment.

And/or?

So technically he could pay his way out and walk off?

Could one of our Aussie brethren please enlighten me?

I disagree with the sentiment that he would have had a rougher time of it in a Thai jail. Money tends to be able to buy a lot of creature comforts in jails here. I doubt that will be the case in an Aus jail.

[Maigo6]

Australia has one of the toughest Customs in the world, leaving Bangkok was the easy part.

I do agree with the Professor Fart, if one has money Thai jail can be reasonable, if you're broke, it's a different story.

[mogoso]

I've often wondered how they handle the visa requirements for staying in a country. Some of these people are damned near eligible for citizenship after they finish their stint on foreign soil! (Except for the criminal records check, of course).

Here in Thailand foreign prisoners are sent, after havng finished their sentence, straight to the IDC (immigration detention center) and will get deported from there.

I think he'd not see the US again after getting caught with a kilo in Thailand. Truly lame and stupid to mule drugs.

[ColPyat]

I think he'd not see the US again after getting caught with a kilo in Thailand. Truly lame and stupid to mule drugs.

He would if he would declare himself guilty at the Thai court.

The death sentence would be converted to life imprisonment. After about ten years he would be sent to the US to serve out the rest of his sentence according to the prisoner exchange agreement. In practise after a few weeks he would be sent to a half way house and soon be free.

[udon]

Aus airports/customs have some of the most hi-tech equipment in the world.

Just try to smuggle a slingshot or a sausage thru in yr checked/hold baggage.

Be warned!

[Maigo6]

Aus airports/customs have some of the most hi-tech equipment in the world.

Yep Udon, Australian Customs Officers are pretty astute.

[Old Croc]

I've often wondered how they handle the visa requirements for staying in a country. Some of these people are damned near eligible for citizenship after they finish their stint on foreign soil! (Except for the criminal records check, of course).

In this circumstance the idiots tourist visa would be cancelled at the airport. Police can apply for a criminal justice visa to hold him for trial. His time spent in jail will be as an illegal immigrant and he will be removed at the end of his incarceration.

Only permanent residents can qualify for citizenship in Australia and time in prison is not counted. A criminal record will be taken into account when citizenship is decided.

Edited April 27, 2006 by Old Croc

[CSX]

You play with fire, you gonna get burned.

Stupid man.

I have no problem seeing guys like this get the death sentence for running this crap.

Line all these type of people up in a line for the execution. Show it on TV on every station at the same time. And charge the family for the bullets!

He took a chance and lost. What a fool!!!! Now it's time to pay.

If you can't do the time, then don't do the crime.

[Chang_paarp]

The maximum penalty for drug smuggling is a fine of up to $750,000 and/or life imprisonment.

And/or?

So technically he could pay his way out and walk off?

Could one of our Aussie brethren please enlighten me?

I disagree with the sentiment that he would have had a rougher time of it in a Thai jail. Money tends to be able to buy a lot of creature comforts in jails here. I doubt that will be the case in an Aus jail.

It is at the discression of the judge. If they feel they have been doing this for a while and this is how they built a financial empire the prosecutor will apply for the financial penalty as well as the prision. I am not aware of any trafficing offences that have only had a fine.

In some states there is a confiscation of the proceeds of crime provision too. So the prosecutor can have the persons assets frozen untill the case is finnished. This has caused great problems for the rest of the family, and is very embarrasing when they get the "wrong " result.

In lesser cases the jail term may be deemed to be time served coming to trial and there is a fine as well.

Money can buy some creature comforts in Au jail but not preferred treatment. Good behaivour goes a long way.

[astral]

ha !

he must of thought that he was clear in front and well on down the home straight once he had cleared bangkok customs and was sitting on the plane.

how wrong he was.

With all those sniffer dogs and x-ray machines in Oz I am surprised he thought he could smuggle anything in.........

[Lucifer]

You must understand...he's a mule. No brains, just debt.

The mastermind is somewhere in Austrailia, sitting ina anice cumfy chair.

[VanZam]

Bangkok has customs? Wow, learn something new everyday.

Oh thats what that ten foot hallway is on the way out!

[game4shame]

Customs at Bangkok does not check outgoing bags, neither checked-in baggage nor hand carried.

X-ray for security is a different thing.

iirc my main bag was once searched pre-security scan before the check-in desk.

[Johpa]

Aus airports/customs have some of the most hi-tech equipment in the world.

Just try to smuggle a slingshot or a sausage thru in yr checked/hold baggage.

Say hey, I was busted with a Thai sausage by US customs. Someone had given my wife a sausage as a gift for a relative in the US, and when asked if we had any meats we said no. There upon, they found the hideous link of meat in the gift wrap. Cost me $100 and worse, I was branded for life with the big A for agriculture and am now often asked, when passing through customs, to go sit over at the Group W bench for further inspection. Hey anything to avoid some gnarly bureaucrat from making like Michael Jackson with one glove.