A young Albanian man was sentenced to 36 months in prison by the Brussels correctional court on Wednesday after being caught smuggling a significant amount of cannabis.
Customs officials found 21 kilograms of the drug in his luggage when he landed at Brussels Airport on 22 April, having flown in from Bangkok, Thailand. Upon inspection, his suitcase contained 15 packages of organic material, which tests confirmed as cannabis.
The prosecution reported that the young man claimed he had used his savings for a holiday in Thailand, where he met a young woman who asked him to take the suitcase. He allegedly did not check its contents, received no payment, and was instructed to leave the suitcase at the airport, where it would be collected by the woman’s sister.
The public prosecutor dismissed his explanation as entirely implausible and requested a 36-month prison term. The man’s lawyer argued for a suspended sentence.
“My client realises he should have known better and is willing to take responsibility,” the lawyer stated. “He has a clean criminal record and has always held a steady job as a driver. He has been under electronic monitoring for this case and has adhered strictly to the conditions. He should still be eligible for a suspended sentence.”
However, the court rejected the defence’s request and imposed an effective 36-month prison sentence on the young man.
