Nigerian drug smuggler sentenced to ten years in prison by Bratislava court

Nigerian citizen John Castro O., who was arrested at Bratislava airport in late 2009 after attempting to smuggle nearly 300 grams of cocaine in his stomach, was sentenced to ten years in prison on February 11, the TASR newswire reported. On completing his sentence he will be deported from Slovakia and will be unable to return to the country for 15 years, a Bratislava court ruled. The verdict has not become effective as the prosecutor’s office said that it would appeal the ruling.

Nigerian citizen John Castro O., who was arrested at Bratislava airport in late 2009 after attempting to smuggle nearly 300 grams of cocaine in his stomach, was sentenced to ten years in prison on February 11, the TASR newswire reported.

On completing his sentence he will be deported from Slovakia and will be unable to return to the country for 15 years, a Bratislava court ruled. The verdict has not become effective as the prosecutor’s office said that it would appeal the ruling.

When arrested by the Slovak police on December 31, 2009, John Castro O. said that he swallowed capsules containing cocaine (worth more than €62,000 on the black market) in Spain assuming that they contained antibiotics. He also said that his final destination was Vienna, where he was supposed to be paid €200 for the job.

Other cases involving swallowed drugs have occurred in Slovakia. The first Nigerian to attempt this method of smuggling was arrested on June 9, 2009 allegedly trying to transport 70 capsules of heroin with a market value of at least €164,000. The 34-year-old man, called Raymond O., was remanded in custody with two other people. He could be sentenced to 25 years in prison. The proceedings in this case are still ongoing.

Source: TASR

Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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