Indonesia sentences to death U.K. grandmother caught with 8.4lbs of cocaine sewn into suitcase

Lindsay June Sandiford of Britain, right, listens to her interpreter during her sentencing at a courthouse, in Denpasar, Bali island, Indonesia, Jan. 22, 2013. / AP

BALI An Indonesian court sentenced a British grandmother to death on Tuesday for smuggling cocaine worth $2.5 million in her suitcase onto the resort island of Bali — even though prosecutors had sought only a 15-year sentence.

Lindsay June Sandiford, 56, wept when judges handed down the sentence and declined to speak to reporters on her way back to prison, covering her face with a floral scarf. She had claimed in court that she was forced into taking the drugs into the country by a gang that was threatening to hurt her children.

Indonesia, like many Asian countries, is very strict on drug crimes, and most of the more than 40 foreigners on its death row were convicted of drug charges.

Sandiford's lawyer said she would appeal. Appeals take several years, and the country has not carried out an execution since 2008, when 10 people were put to death.

A verdict is expected in the trial of Sandiford's alleged accomplice, British man Julian Anthony Pounder, on Wednesday. He is accused of receiving the drugs in Bali, which has a busy bar and nightclub scene where party drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy are bought and sold between foreigners. Two other British citizens and an Indian have already been convicted and sentenced to prison in connection with the bust.

In its verdict, a judge panel at the Denpasar District Court concluded that Sandiford had damaged the image of Bali as a tourism destination and weakened the government's drug prevention program.

"We found no reason to lighten her sentence," said Amser Simanjuntak, who headed the judicial panel.

Prosecutors had been seeking a 15-year prison sentence for Sandiford, who was arrested in May when customs officers at Bali's airport discovered 8.4 pounds of cocaine in the lining of her luggage.

State prosecutor Lie Putra Setiawan told reporters that the verdict was "appropriate," explaining that prosecutors had been demanding 15 years because of Sandiford's age.

Indonesia has 114 prisoners on death row, according to a March 2012 study by Australia's Lowy Institute for International Policy. Five foreigners have been executed since 1998, all for drug crimes, according to the institute.

[TDClarke]

Maybe Western governments should adopt these drug policies. If owning, selling, transporting, or trafficking drugs were punishable by death in the US or Mexico, maybe there would be less gang violence. At the very least, it would decrease drug demand.

[Truth_Hoarder]

Drugs are fun. No one should receive the death penalty for fueling fun.

[shurch4truth]

Message to Bali regarding this statement:

"In its verdict, a judge panel at the Denpasar District Court concluded that Sandiford had damaged the image of Bali as a tourism destination'

You guys are shooting yourself in the foot....what will hurt your tourism more that anything else is your death penalty verdict. Killing a tourist because they broke a law is going to stop most tourist from going to your country out of fear they could get framed for drug trafficking and then put to death by you. If the bottom line for you is money and think smart, not revenge.

[burneb]

Absolutely right! I have nothing to do with illegal drugs, but I went to Bali a couple year ago, and would not go again if I thought I might be framed for trafficking. Bali is a fun place, much more than the rest of Indonesia, but they still have some corruption problem (like so many other countries).

[Anonimous1]

She must not have 56 because I have 51 and she looks very old, like 65 or she took drugs too? Traffickers will guarantee you the heaven and Earth, good money... but one day she will be discovered with drugs in her possession or not. A mother and grandmother, doing those things, unbeliavable. What will her grandchildren will be thinking of grandma now transporting drugs and specially for where, Balli! Those countries which they have death penalties for nothing. They don't care about nationalities. In part she ruined the country's reputation entering with such drugs. Whar tourists going to think of Balli now?

[Anonimous1]

She must not have 56 because I have 51 and she looks very old, like 65 or she took drugs too? Traffickers will guarantee you the heaven and Earth, good money... but one day she will be discovered with drugs in her possession or not. A mother and grandmother, doing those things, unbeliavable. What will her grandchildren will be thinking of grandma now transporting drugs and specially for where, Balli! Those countries which they have death penalties for nothing. They don't care about nationalities. In part she ruined the country's reputation entering with such drugs. Whar tourists going to think of Balli now?

[Donny1021]

That's because you haven't spent the last two years in a Indonesian jail and don't have makeup you silly cow.

[littleredtop]

This woman is getting what she deserves. If the death sentence were applied for similar offenses here we would soon win the war against drugs.

[gpw6211]

um, yeah, we would be winning the war like indonesia? apparently its not working there either, you did read the article right?

[david_saint01]

I guess the saying is right, ignorance is bliss....

[saturn05]

Death sentence seems a little harsh. I believe in tough laws, but I don't think this is appropriate.

[WHAT-IS-HE-SMOKING]

Can't do the time, don't do the crime.

[kbbpll]

Probably should have stuck with money laundering in your home country, grandma.

[rwsmith29456]

Looks like smuggling drugs into Mali is a really bad idea.

[Donny1021]

It's Bali Dumb As*, Mali is in Africa and Bali is an island in South East Asia. It's also the only Hindu part of the largest Islamic nation in the world. BTW are you from South Carolina or are you just naturally stupid?