An Australian woman faces a possible death sentence for drug trafficking in Malaysia after a chemist’s report confirmed the substance found in her bag was crystal methamphetamine, a prosecutor’s report says.
Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto, a 52-year-old mother of four, was arrested on December 7 at Kuala Lumpur airport with 1.1 kilograms of the drug which is also known as ice.
Prosecutor Hasifulkhair Jamaluddin told the magistrate’s court that Exposto had been trafficking methamphetamine.
Magistrate Noor Hafizah Salim then ordered the case to be transferred to the high court.
Malaysia has a mandatory death penalty by hanging for anyone found guilty of carrying more than 50 grams of a drug.
Authorities previously said Exposto was trafficking 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Exposto looked nervous when the amended charge was read to her.
The defence is yet to enter a plea until the case reaches the high court, since the lower magistrate’s court has no jurisdiction to hear death penalty cases.
She was later led out of the detention room in handcuffs. The Australian said she was innocent and nodded her head three times.
“Yes, [I am innocent],” she said. No date has yet been set for the high court hearing, but defence lawyers said the trial could begin later this year.
Defence lawyers say she was duped by a stranger into carrying a bag to Melbourne. She believed the bag contained only clothing.
She had travelled to Shanghai after falling for an online romance scam by a person claiming to be a US serviceman, according to lawyers.
Customs officers discovered the drugs stitched into the compartment of a backpack.
Two Australians were hanged in 1986 for heroin trafficking — the first Westerners to be executed in Malaysia. Not too many people have been executed in Malaysia in recent years. (AFP)
irms she was carrying crystal meth in Malaysia.