A Cambodian court on Tuesday convicted a Nigerian and Romania of cross-border drug smuggling, sentencing both of them to life in prison.
Romanian Adrian-Calin Varadi, 40, was caught on August 14, 2016, when he arrived at the Phnom Penh International Airport from Brazil with 4.96 kg of cocaine hidden in his luggage.
Nigerian Chukwuemeka Ibe, 35, was arrested later that day, when he waited at his hotel room to receive the drugs to take them to neighbouring Thailand.
The duo are charged with “illegally transporting the drugs” under the country’s drug law, said a verdict read by Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s Presiding Judge Im Vannak.
“The court decides to sentence each of them to life in prison and to fine them 40 million riel (10,000 U.S. dollars) each,” the verdict said.
During a trial last month, Varadi confessed to the crime, but Ibe denied the charge, claiming that he did not know the package he was supposed to receive contained drug.
Romanian Adrian-Calin Varadi, 40, was caught on August 14, 2016, when he arrived at the Phnom Penh International Airport from Brazil with 4.96 kg of cocaine hidden in his luggage.
Nigerian Chukwuemeka Ibe, 35, was arrested later that day, when he waited at his hotel room to receive the drugs to take them to neighbouring Thailand.
The duo are charged with “illegally transporting the drugs” under the country’s drug law, said a verdict read by Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s Presiding Judge Im Vannak.
“The court decides to sentence each of them to life in prison and to fine them 40 million riel (10,000 U.S. dollars) each,” the verdict said.
During a trial last month, Varadi confessed to the crime, but Ibe denied the charge, claiming that he did not know the package he was supposed to receive contained drug.
Under the Cambodian law, the convicts have one month to appeal against the ruling.
