A Colombian woman caught trafficking two kilos of cocaine into China has been sentenced to life in prison by Beijing’s People’s Court.
The Colombian, 27, was allegedly caught by accident in the Beijing airport on March 30 with two kilos of cocaine hidden in her pants.
According to Beijing newspaper The Global Times, the cocaine was hidden in a specially made pair of pants where a security official inadvertently touched the woman’s overcoat while checking her passport and “felt it was very stiff in the waist.” The official added that, “if we did not ask her to take off the overcoat, it would have been difficult to see any hint of the drugs.”
The woman had traveled from Colombia to Brazil to Qatar and finally to Beijing, China. Caracol Radio reported that the woman had agreed to traffic the drugs to China in order to settle a $500 debt she owed in Colombia. She was instructed to then go to a hotel room in Beijing where the cocaine would be picked up. An accomplice allegedly trafficking more cocaine fled and escaped after the woman was arrested.
The director of the publicity department of Beijing Customs told the Global Times that the number of foreigners they have caught smuggling cocaine into Beijing has increased in recent years.
“Since South America is the origin of cocaine, customs officers have paid more attention to passengers coming from South America,” the Director said.
Anyone caught smuggling more than .05 kilos of cocaine in China can be sentenced from 15 plus years in prison to the death penalty.
