On December 4, the Chiba District Court held the sentencing of Australian National Donna Rose Nelson, 58, who was charged with violating the Methamphetamine Control Act and other offenses for smuggling methamphetamine. The court sentenced the defendant to six years’ imprisonment and a fine of 1 million yen for playing an essential and important role in the transportation of drugs.
According to the verdict, on January 3-4, the defendant conspired with someone else to bring a suitcase containing approximately 2 kg of methamphetamine from Wattay Airport, Laos, to Narita Airport.
The defendant pleaded not guilty at trial, claiming that she was asked to do so by a man she met on an online dating app and that she didn’t know that methamphetamine and other illegal drugs were hidden there. However, the judge acknowledged that the man had deceived her, but found that the request was quite unnatural and the defendant was aware that illegal drugs might be hidden.
According to Rie Nishida, the lawyer in charge of the case, the defendant Nelson was the chairperson of a support group for indigenous Australians. The defense intends to appeal.
