West News Wire: A Ukrainian lady who was detained at the airport of the Egyptian capital carrying a bag of cocaine has been sentenced to life in prison, a judicial source said on Sunday.
After being detained in April upon arrival from Qatar with “four kilos (nearly nine pounds) of cocaine” in her luggage, Liudmyla Balakina, who resides in the Netherlands, had been convicted of narcotics smuggling, the source told AFP.
She also received a punishment of 100,000 Egyptian pounds ($3,683), however she still has the right to appeal the decision.
According to state media, Balakina had admitted in court to “meeting an Egyptian overseas who took advantage of her need for money.”
The Egyptian “gave her $2,500 to enter the nation,” according to the report, with the pills.
In 2019, Egypt increased punishment for drug smugglers to include the death penalty.
Eight foreigners were sentenced to death last year for smuggling more than two tonnes of heroin via the Red Sea.
