Man jailed for life, caned for smuggling over 1kg of meth in underwear
An Indonesian man was sentenced to life imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane by the High Court on 30 June for trafficking more than one kilogram of methamphetamine from Malaysia.
The 40-year-old farmer had hidden the substances by wearing a pair of women’s underwear and a corset.
He also hid some of the drugs in the soles of his shoes, the New Straits Times (NST) reported.
Attempted to smuggle 1,078.9g of meth to Indonesia
The convict, Amriadi, was caught carrying the drugs at the Tawau Ferry Terminal in Sabah on 11 Oct 2024, while attempting to leave Malaysia for the Nunukan Port in Indonesia.
Source: Berita Harian
The father of one from South Sulawesi was found carrying 1,078.9g of methamphetamine.
A body search revealed that he had concealed some of the substance in a black corset he was wearing.
Five packets were also found inside the women’s underwear he wore, while another portion of the drugs was hidden in his shoes.
Offence carries either death penalty or life imprisonment
The charge was framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same act, which carries either the death penalty or life imprisonment.
If the death penalty is not imposed, the offender will face a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
In his judgment, Judicial Commissioner Steve Ritikos noted that Amriadi’s actions showed determination and boldness in defying Malaysia’s laws despite knowing the risk of arrest at the ferry terminal.
The court also considered submissions from both sides before delivering the sentence, which takes effect from the date of his arrest, Daily Express reported.
The trial began on 10 March, with the prosecution calling five witnesses while the defence called Amriadi himself.
Life sentence handed to defendant
Defence counsel Jhesseny P. Kang asked for leniency, noting that Amriadi was a first-time offender and had shown remorse.
He also cited the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023, which allows the court discretion between life imprisonment and death.
Source: Alemedia.id on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
However, deputy public prosecutor Nur Nisla Abd Latif emphasised that the weight of the drugs warranted a deterrent sentence, arguing that public interest outweighed the personal circumstances of the accused.
Mr Ritikos handed down the life sentence to Amriadi after the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt at the close of the defence.
Also read: Man caught smuggling 3kg of meth from Thailand to Japan, denies knowing contents were drugs
Man caught smuggling 3kg of meth from Thailand to Japan, denies knowing contents were drugs
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Featured image adapted from Berita Harian.
