HONG KONG: Hong Kong court on Thursday sentenced a Japanese man to 17 years and four months in prison for trafficking illicit drugs, local media reported.
Masaki Yamaguchi, 46, was arrested at Hong Kong International Airport in March 2013 while attempting to smuggle 5.79 kg of crystal methamphetamine, known as crystal meth or ice, with a street value of HK$4.7 million (about $610,000), out of the country, Cable TV reported.
The drugs were discovered inside a diving wetsuit that belonged to Yamaguchi, who was about to board a flight for Busan in South Korea.
The court heard that Yamaguchi, unemployed and suffering from cirrhosis, needed to raise funds for a liver transplant operation.
Judge Andrew Chan said according to a medical report the defendant’s condition was “not as serious as claimed” and therefore a harsh sentence is warranted to stem the aggravating problem of “ice” usage in Hong Kong.
It was not known if Yamaguchi will file an appeal.
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