Quote : China Press News on German national suspected of drug trafficking.

Trafficker unknown. 

A German national arrested in Senai Airport on suspicion of trafficking 896.3 grams of amphetamine in Senai Airport and was charged in court. He was acquitted on all charges by the court after the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

November 29, 2015

(Johor Bahru 29 hearing) 

A German national arrested in Senai Airport on suspicion of trafficking 896.3 grams of amphetamine in Senai Airport and was charged in court.

The police cannot identify the drug dealers identity in this case. There are evidence shown that the defendant, a German national named Rudolph is accused and charged in court for trafficking 896.3 grams of amphetamine in Senai Airport. 

Rudolf was acquitted by the court. Drug trafficking in Malaysia carries the mandatory death sentence.

Rudolph was 20 years old when he was arrested on January 19, 2014 at 4:00 pm while on transit in the passenger check point in Senai International Airport and charged with possession of 896.3 grams methyl amphetamine drugs that was found in his luggage. He is charged under the dangerous drugs Act 1952 in section 39B (1) (A) provision, as well as the section 39B (2) provision which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

The defendant pleads not guilty and provided the court with two telephone numbers which are Germany and Malaysia registered phone number. Request for case extension was requested because the police were unable to contact the 2 phone numbers given. 

After a year and 10 months investigation and court hearing, judge Dato Suffian said that from the comprehensive police investigation, the police had confirmed that the defendant was robbed in Thailand, and lost all his belongings. He had sent out messages through his social media seeking for financial help. 

The judge said that the police cannot find the true identity of drug dealers/trafficker, and cannot confirm the relationship between the defendant and the drug dealers/traffickers which held that the defendant acquitted.

This morning the defendant was accompanied by the German Ambassador to Malaysia appeared in court after he was acquitted and released. The defendant stepped out of court with joy and immediately requested for help from the ambassador to arrange for his return home soonest to visit his father who had suffered a heart attack recently. 

"Social Media friend's 'financial help' turns into a nightmare for the defendant as he was made into an unsuspecting 'drug mule'."

Rudolph related his story that he was robbed of all his belongings in Thailand and unfortunately his father suffered a heart attack during his ordeal in Thailand. As he is in dire straits, he took to his friends in the social media network for financial help which he said resulted in him falling into the trap of drug traffickers/dealers.

The judge Dato' Suffian mentioned that the defendant works as McDonald's manager in Germany and it is the defendant’s first trip abroad backpacking.

He added that after the defendant was robbed of all of his belongings and cash, the defendant was kicked out of his hotel as he was unable to pay for his hotel stay.  He was fortunate that some good Samaritans offered him shelter after being kicked out from his hotel.

"The defendant had an urgent need to return home after receiving the news that his father suffered a heart attack. Therefore,  he asked for financial help from  his friends in the social media(facebook).

 A man from Facebook offered to buy him his flight ticket to Germany and told him he has to fly to Hong Kong on transit as the direct flight from Thailand to Germany is expensive. 

Judge Sufian said that the defendant did not mind waiting to fly to Hong Kong. When he arrived in Hong Kong, the social media friend told him that the flight  from Hong Kong to Germany was very expensive too. Thus, he asked defendant to fly from Hong Kong to Johor Bahru Senai Airport on transit before connecting to Germany. 

While waiting for transit in Senai Airport, defendant was told by social media friend to pass his luggage which contained the  dangerous drugs (which he does not have knowledge of) to a third party and provided him with third party's phone number as well.

The judge Dato Sufian said that the defendant provided the transcript of the whole process and the evidence and that the defendant mistakenly trusted a friend from Facebook and making him a "Drug Mule" without his knowledge.