Photos: South African drug mule arrested in Cambodia claims he was meant to hand over cocaine to Nigerian man

Get Best Daily Health Tips Here

A South African has admitted to charges of trafficking more than half a
kilogram of cocaine into Cambodia after arriving at the
airport with a stomach full of drug capsules.

During a court hearing on
Monday, April 10th, 30-year-old Jacobus Dawie Botha claims he was supposed to hand over the drugs to an unknown Nigerian man, at a guesthouse in Meanchey
district’s Stung Meanchey commune.

Presiding Judge Kim Rathnarin said
the defendant was arrested by the National Anti-Drugs Department (NADD)
in collaboration with the Immigration police stationed at Phnom Penh
International Airport on September 23, 2016 and charged with possessing,
transporting and dealing drugs under the Drug Law.

The National Anti-Drugs Department (NADD) in collaboration with the
Immigration police station at PPIA , arrested a South-African man
suspected of swallowing drugs (hiding drugs in his stomach). The suspect
travelled on a flight from Brazil via Dubai and Bangkok on Bangkok
Airway’s flight EY402​.

A (body) scan revealed that the carried
packages, suspected of containing drug in his stomach. The suspect
confessed that he swallowed around 100 packages containing cocaine.

Under
questioning, Mr. Dawie Botha said he had been imprisoned for five years
in South Africa for previous drug crimes, and that last year was his
first attempt to bring drugs into Cambodia after having successfully
trafficked them into his home country from Pakistan.
A woman he
named only as “Yoko” managed the operation and organized for the cocaine
to be transported from Brazil through Dubai before heading to Cambodia
through Bangkok, he said.

Mr. Dawie Botha said he had been promised $7,000 if he was successful. Chhum
Sopheap, deputy bureau chief of the Interior Ministry’s anti-drug
department, said Mr. Dawie Botha had been found with a total of 587.10
grams of cocaine, which was worth about $90,000 on the market.
“Our country is not the place for distributing cocaine,” he said. “Our country is just for transit.”

The verdict is expected to be announced on May 2.

360L