Canna-bust: British student’s drug-filled dreams go up in smoke
A British student’s high-flying ambitions came crashing down when his ill-fated bid to smuggle a suitcase brimming with cannabis from Thailand was thwarted. The desperate act was all in the name of funding his university education, a courtroom in Austria heard.
The 29 year old mature student, travelling with his 24 year old girlfriend, was nabbed during a layover in Vienna, en route to Amsterdam, carrying an astonishing 33 kilogrammes of cannabis. The haul, valued at nearly £350,000 (14.7 million baht), was uncovered by a sharp-eyed customs officer, prosecutors revealed to Korneuburg Regional Court.
In a tearful confession, the student, whose identity remains under wraps, claimed the lure of 10,000 euros (380,000 baht) for the drug run came from a mysterious pub acquaintance in London.
“I wanted to use this money for my tuition fees.”
The National World reported that the courtroom was thick with emotion as the pair, who had funded their flights, were faced with the grim prospect of up to 15 years behind bars. Dominik Wild, representing the girlfriend, insisted to the court that they weren’t your typical drug traffickers.
The couple sat hand in hand, while the student’s lawyer, Alexander Prenner, painted a picture of dire financial straits, saying his university education could rack up costs of 100,000 euros (3.8 million baht).
“Young people are being shamelessly exploited.”
In an unexpected twist of leniency, judges opted for compassion despite the substantial drug stash. The student, detained since July, received a 30-month sentence but will only serve six months. With time served, he might be home for Christmas cheer.
The presiding judge underscored the principle of “general prevention,” saying: “That’s why the defendant is not going home today. There are enough people who are in need and who do not commit criminal acts.”
As for the girlfriend, she walked away with just a one-year suspended sentence. In a poignant gesture, judges granted the couple an extra two minutes to share a farewell before the student was led to the cells.
