Foreign nationals sentenced to 10 years in narcotics case

Mumbai, Dec 20 (UNI) A special NDPS Court today sentenced a couple of foreign origin to ten years rigorous imprisonment, for possessing and attempting to smuggle out 17.2 kgs of Hashish from India to Singapore.

NDPS Judge P N Deshmukh pronounced Japanese national Tetsuo Hirayama (72) and his Singaporean wife Zainab Yusuf (39) guilty under sections 29, 20(b), 20(ii), 23 and 28 of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotrophic Substances (Prevention) Act (NDPS).

The judge also slapped a fine of Rs one lakh each on them.

In default, they would have to undergo an additional imprisonment of one year.

The couple, who had arrived in the country earlier, was just on the verge of leaving to Singapore by an Air India flight on November 27, 2000, when the Air-Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the customs department intercepted them at the Sahar International Airport.

After interrogation, they admitted that they were carrying the contraband in their two suitcases and also told the investigating authorities that the narcotics were given to them by an Indian, Natim Ramu at Santa Cruz Airport, with instructions that his man will contact them and collect the parcel at Singapore.

AIU had recovered 17.2 kgs of Hashish concealed in 18 slabs in their two suit-cases and consequently arrested them.

The couple, married in 1994 in Singapore, was in jail right from since their arrest.

UNI PVN WD/PM SK GC1941