Drug Offenses in Asian Countries
October 8th I believe, will be the one year anniversary that Schapelle Corby’s life was forever changed. For those people who are unfamiliar with this case, Schapelle Corby was on her way to Bali from Queensland, when she arrived in Bali, 4.8 kgs of marijuana was found in her boogie board. She denied that it was hers, and the nightmare began. She was charged with possession among other charges and could have faced the firing squad if she was found guilty. Her trial ended up May with a verdict of guilty. However, they took the death sentence off the table, and she ended up getting 20 years in jail, a Bali jail.
Now, when this case first appeared in the media, I though to myself “oh what ever, not another person.” But as time passed on, and as I read further and further into this story, I became really intrigued. The more I read, the more I realized that this woman was not guilty. And there was no way to prove it. Reason for this, is the Indonesian customs and police were not very cooperative. They did not do a lot of forensic investigating like they should have. And when people tried to get the airport security tapes, they had been “conveniently” dissappeared. The airport said that they only kept the tapes for a certain period of time. But yet, when the defense asked for them, it was still within the time frame that the tapes should have still been in the aiport security’s possession. Also, Schapelle’s bags were not weighed when she left Brisbane Airport. The scales were down I guess, and so they were not weighed. That again, is something absolutely crucial, b/c if they HAD been weighed, at Brisbane Airport, it would have proven that between Brisbane and Bali someone put those drugs into her bag. So many things were tried in order to get Schapelle’s name cleared, but it was a lost cause. The defense even had witnesses, who had heard in their jail cell that someone else had owned those drugs. But who is going to believe a suspected rapist? I believe that is who the witness was.
But aside from this witness, after the Schapelle Corby case got out into the media, ther was the beginning of an investigation with baggage handlers at the international airports. There were even a number of busts, that had occurred, proving that people WERE smuggling drugs in and out of Australia. But yet, the Australian government didn’t do enough, and pretty much turned their heads when asked for help. The Indonesial police did not want anything to do with the case of the baggage handlers. They said that there was no relevancy between the Australian baggage handlers and Schapelle’s case. No relevancy? C’mon, you’ve gotta be kidding me!
When the verdict was read on national news, at the present time, it was such a horrific feeling. So many people believed Schapelle was innocent, and I think even now, still believe that she’s innocent. I was nearly in tears when I heard the verdict. 20 years in a Bali prison, where the standards of living is absolutely horrific. Now granted, prisons are not supposed to be places of luxury, but they need to be livable. The prisons in Bali are not such a condition. Since the verdict, appeals have been set in motion, and the defense has tried to get video interviews of people in Australia who are saying the drugs was theirs, and that Schapelle was nothing more than someone who was there at the wrong place, at the wrong time.
Since Schapelle’s case came to light, there have been the “Bali 9” who are soon up for trial as well. During Schapelle’s trial, 4 people were caught with heroin taped to their bodies, trying to get onto a flight to Sydney from Bali. The Indonesial Police had a “tip off” that this was going to be happening, so they did some undercover work for a few days I think. They ended up arresting 5 other people. All of these people will face the firing squad if they’re found guilty.
Another instance, just recently, within the past two weeks, is that of a model. I don’t remember her name, but 2 ecstacy tablets were found in her possession. She first denied that it was hers, but then it was reported that she had bought those tablets from some guy a few nights earlier. Drug tests, both urine and blood, have been conducted and she tested negative for ecstacy, but positive for other drugs. Because of the small amount on her, she could face up to 15 years in prison.
I don’t understand people sometimes. They make it QUITE clear that there is the death penalty if you are caught with drugs, if you cross over Asian borders. Bali isn’t the only place, Hong Kong, and Vietam I believe are also places that carry the death penalty. So why are people so stupid, to believe that they won’t get caught. Not that I’m advocating drug use, but why bring drugs into a country when that specific drug is SO easy to come by? That’s another reason why I believe Schapelle is innocent. Why would she be silly enough to bring drugs into Bali, when she very well knows how easily accessible it is?
All of these recent drug charges have perked a special interest in me. This past weekend I watched Bancock Hilton, a movie that was made in 1989 I believe and has Nicole Kidman in it. Nicole Kidman plays a woman who is looking for her long lost father. This search brings her to London, where she meets Mr. so called wonderful, and has to change her plane tickets to go back home..via Bancock. To make a long story short, Nicole Kidman is caught with 4 kilos of pure heroin in her camera bag. It’s the story of how she survivies the prison, aka Bancock Hilton. Definitely no Hilton, and of course a play on words. Without giving too much away, she’s charged with possession, which carries out the death penalty.
Bloody brilliant movie, I highly recommend watching it. Watching it made me think about the people who are the ones who do the killing. How could anyone do that sort of job? I understand that when you’re in someone elses’s country, you’re supposed to abide by their laws. But shooting someone to death, how could you sleep at night? I know that goes the same for people who administer the lethal injection and those who are hung as well (in some countries). But I just don’t understand how someone can mentally prepare themselves for this sort of thing. Shooting someone yeh maybe once, but they use an automatic gun and it just keeps firing. How could you sit there as a spectator and watch? Or yet, be a prisoner, and watching someone you share a cell with, as they leave, and then hear the gunshots soon after? Absolutely horrible, I tell ya.
Drugs in Asian countries have horrific penalties, and I often ask myself “why?” I understand what kind of damage drugs can do to a society, but why are the Asian countries harsher on drug smugglers and mules? I look at Australia and the US, and people are fined, put in jail, but death by firing squad, that is so ancient. Maybe Asian cultures still abide by ancient rules, but man, you won’t see me every flying to any Indonesian country. No way, no how. My thoughts here only go to show how an innocent person’s life can be completely turned around. I don’t ever want to put myself in a situation where something like Schapelle’s case could happen to me. Sure, you might say “someone could still smuggle drugs into your bag” but if I’m going to the US or back to Australia, there will be a lot forensic evidence….and the fact that death will not be a possible outcome either, puts my mind a little more at ease. It worrries me when I travel. I’ve had stuff stolen out of my bags. I know people have gone thru them. I will just make sure I’m extra careful when ever I travel anywhere.
-current mood-ANXIOUS
Now, when this case first appeared in the media, I though to myself “oh what ever, not another person.” But as time passed on, and as I read further and further into this story, I became really intrigued. The more I read, the more I realized that this woman was not guilty. And there was no way to prove it. Reason for this, is the Indonesian customs and police were not very cooperative. They did not do a lot of forensic investigating like they should have. And when people tried to get the airport security tapes, they had been “conveniently” dissappeared. The airport said that they only kept the tapes for a certain period of time. But yet, when the defense asked for them, it was still within the time frame that the tapes should have still been in the aiport security’s possession. Also, Schapelle’s bags were not weighed when she left Brisbane Airport. The scales were down I guess, and so they were not weighed. That again, is something absolutely crucial, b/c if they HAD been weighed, at Brisbane Airport, it would have proven that between Brisbane and Bali someone put those drugs into her bag. So many things were tried in order to get Schapelle’s name cleared, but it was a lost cause. The defense even had witnesses, who had heard in their jail cell that someone else had owned those drugs. But who is going to believe a suspected rapist? I believe that is who the witness was.
But aside from this witness, after the Schapelle Corby case got out into the media, ther was the beginning of an investigation with baggage handlers at the international airports. There were even a number of busts, that had occurred, proving that people WERE smuggling drugs in and out of Australia. But yet, the Australian government didn’t do enough, and pretty much turned their heads when asked for help. The Indonesial police did not want anything to do with the case of the baggage handlers. They said that there was no relevancy between the Australian baggage handlers and Schapelle’s case. No relevancy? C’mon, you’ve gotta be kidding me!
When the verdict was read on national news, at the present time, it was such a horrific feeling. So many people believed Schapelle was innocent, and I think even now, still believe that she’s innocent. I was nearly in tears when I heard the verdict. 20 years in a Bali prison, where the standards of living is absolutely horrific. Now granted, prisons are not supposed to be places of luxury, but they need to be livable. The prisons in Bali are not such a condition. Since the verdict, appeals have been set in motion, and the defense has tried to get video interviews of people in Australia who are saying the drugs was theirs, and that Schapelle was nothing more than someone who was there at the wrong place, at the wrong time.
Since Schapelle’s case came to light, there have been the “Bali 9” who are soon up for trial as well. During Schapelle’s trial, 4 people were caught with heroin taped to their bodies, trying to get onto a flight to Sydney from Bali. The Indonesial Police had a “tip off” that this was going to be happening, so they did some undercover work for a few days I think. They ended up arresting 5 other people. All of these people will face the firing squad if they’re found guilty.
Another instance, just recently, within the past two weeks, is that of a model. I don’t remember her name, but 2 ecstacy tablets were found in her possession. She first denied that it was hers, but then it was reported that she had bought those tablets from some guy a few nights earlier. Drug tests, both urine and blood, have been conducted and she tested negative for ecstacy, but positive for other drugs. Because of the small amount on her, she could face up to 15 years in prison.
I don’t understand people sometimes. They make it QUITE clear that there is the death penalty if you are caught with drugs, if you cross over Asian borders. Bali isn’t the only place, Hong Kong, and Vietam I believe are also places that carry the death penalty. So why are people so stupid, to believe that they won’t get caught. Not that I’m advocating drug use, but why bring drugs into a country when that specific drug is SO easy to come by? That’s another reason why I believe Schapelle is innocent. Why would she be silly enough to bring drugs into Bali, when she very well knows how easily accessible it is?
All of these recent drug charges have perked a special interest in me. This past weekend I watched Bancock Hilton, a movie that was made in 1989 I believe and has Nicole Kidman in it. Nicole Kidman plays a woman who is looking for her long lost father. This search brings her to London, where she meets Mr. so called wonderful, and has to change her plane tickets to go back home..via Bancock. To make a long story short, Nicole Kidman is caught with 4 kilos of pure heroin in her camera bag. It’s the story of how she survivies the prison, aka Bancock Hilton. Definitely no Hilton, and of course a play on words. Without giving too much away, she’s charged with possession, which carries out the death penalty.
Bloody brilliant movie, I highly recommend watching it. Watching it made me think about the people who are the ones who do the killing. How could anyone do that sort of job? I understand that when you’re in someone elses’s country, you’re supposed to abide by their laws. But shooting someone to death, how could you sleep at night? I know that goes the same for people who administer the lethal injection and those who are hung as well (in some countries). But I just don’t understand how someone can mentally prepare themselves for this sort of thing. Shooting someone yeh maybe once, but they use an automatic gun and it just keeps firing. How could you sit there as a spectator and watch? Or yet, be a prisoner, and watching someone you share a cell with, as they leave, and then hear the gunshots soon after? Absolutely horrible, I tell ya.
Drugs in Asian countries have horrific penalties, and I often ask myself “why?” I understand what kind of damage drugs can do to a society, but why are the Asian countries harsher on drug smugglers and mules? I look at Australia and the US, and people are fined, put in jail, but death by firing squad, that is so ancient. Maybe Asian cultures still abide by ancient rules, but man, you won’t see me every flying to any Indonesian country. No way, no how. My thoughts here only go to show how an innocent person’s life can be completely turned around. I don’t ever want to put myself in a situation where something like Schapelle’s case could happen to me. Sure, you might say “someone could still smuggle drugs into your bag” but if I’m going to the US or back to Australia, there will be a lot forensic evidence….and the fact that death will not be a possible outcome either, puts my mind a little more at ease. It worrries me when I travel. I’ve had stuff stolen out of my bags. I know people have gone thru them. I will just make sure I’m extra careful when ever I travel anywhere.
-current mood-ANXIOUS
posted by Gaylicious© at Friday, September 02, 2005
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