Chennai:
The NDPS court sentenced a 40-year old Vietnamese national to 10-year rigorous imprisonment on Friday for carrying heroin concealed in her suitcase while she was boarding a flight to Bangkok from the international air terminus in Chennai in 2008.
Pham Thi Tuyet Phoung was nabbed by customs officials when she tried to leave the country for Bangkok, on her way to Hanoi, carrying the substance.
Principal Special Judge for cases under Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substance Act (NDPS) V Ramamurthy said evidences and documents produced before the court proved that she was used as a carrier.
The Judge also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on her. In default to pay the fine, she has to undergo a further period of four months rigorous imprisonment. The period already undergone by her was set off.
The Customs seized 2.8 kilo gram of Diacetyl Morphine (Heroin) from her suitcase.
She had contended that the substance did not belong to her and it was given to her by a person at a tourist home in New Delhi.
She agreed to carry and deliver it to another person in Hanoi, who would identify her, for an exchange of US dollars 1,000 and a free air ticket.