A young Albanian man appeared before the Brussels correctional court on Wednesday after being caught smuggling a substantial amount of cannabis.
Customs officials discovered 21 kilograms of the illegal substance in his luggage. His explanation for the drugs, according to the prosecution, was deemed utterly implausible.
The young man arrived at Brussels Airport on 22 April on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand. During a search of his suitcase, customs found 15 packages containing organic material, which was analysed and identified as cannabis, totalling 21 kilograms.
The prosecution stated, “The defendant claimed he went on holiday to Thailand with his savings and met a young woman there who asked him to take the suitcase. He said he hadn’t checked its contents, didn’t receive any payment for transporting it, and was instructed to leave it at the airport for the woman’s sister to collect.”
The public prosecutor dismissed this account as completely unbelievable and demanded a 36-month prison sentence. The defence lawyer argued for a suspended sentence.
“My client realises he should have been more cautious and is ready to accept responsibility,” the lawyer said. “He has no prior criminal record and has always maintained steady employment as a driver. He is under electronic monitoring in this case and has strictly adhered to the conditions. He is eligible for a suspended sentence.” The verdict is expected on 30 July.
