Takeuchi Mariko
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
A policewoman escorts Mariko Takeuchi, right, out of the Shah Alam criminal court on Tuesday.
AFP
(Kyodo) KUALA LUMPUR — A Malaysian court sentenced a Japanese woman to death on Tuesday for smuggling methamphetamine into the country in what an official said was the first such case involving a citizen of Japan.
A high court in Shah Alam near the capital Kuala Lumpur found Mariko Takeuchi guilty of drug trafficking, said a court official.
A customs official said the verdict marked the first time a Japanese national had been arrested for smuggling drugs into Malaysia, which is known for its tough anti-drug laws.
Drug smuggling carries a mandatory death penalty by hanging in Malaysia.
Takeuchi, a 36-year-old former nurse, was arrested in October last year at Kuala Lumpur International Airport after arriving from Dubai with 3.5 kilograms of the drug.
Takeuchi has testified that she was duped by a man into carrying a bag containing the methamphetamine but did not know the drugs were inside.
The customs official said Dubai is a frequent transit point for drugs destined for Malaysia, which are often then sent on to other countries such as Australia.
As of earlier this year, Malaysia had nearly 700 prisoners, mostly men, on death row. More than two-thirds of those involved drug offenses.
Takeuchi’s lawyer said she will appeal the verdict.
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AFP
A Malaysian court sentenced a Japanese woman to death on Tuesday for smuggling methamphetamine into the country in what an official said was the first such case involving a citizen of Japan.
A high court in Shah Alam near the capital Kuala Lumpur found Mariko Takeuchi guilty of drug trafficking, said a court official.
A customs official said the verdict marked the first time a Japanese national had been arrested for smuggling drugs into Malaysia, which is known for its tough anti-drug laws.
Drug smuggling carries a mandatory death penalty by hanging in Malaysia.
Takeuchi, a 36-year-old former nurse, was arrested in October last year at Kuala Lumpur International Airport after arriving from Dubai with 3.5 kilograms of the drug.
Takeuchi has testified that she was duped by a man into carrying a bag containing the methamphetamine but did not know the drugs were inside.
The customs official said Dubai is a frequent transit point for drugs destined for Malaysia, which are often then sent on to other countries such as Australia.
As of earlier this year, Malaysia had nearly 700 prisoners, mostly men, on death row. More than two-thirds of those involved drug offenses.
Takeuchi’s lawyer said she will appeal the verdict.
© 2011 AFP
