TWO Hong Kong people have been sentenced to death for importing heroin into Singapore.
Lam Cheuk-wang, 23, a car attendant, and Tong Ching-man, 22, an unemployed waitress, were caught carrying S$5 million (HK$24 million) worth of heroin.
Narcotics officers made a check on transit passengers about to board a flight to Brussels at Changi airport on December 15, 1988.
The drugs were in the pockets of special vests worn under their outer garments. Lam and Tong, both teenagers when they were arrested, were charged with importing 1.67 kilograms and 1.47 kgs of heroin respectively.
The death penalty is mandatory in Singapore for any person found guilty of trafficking in 15 grams or more of heroin.
Judge Sinnathamby Sinnathuray rejected the defence submission that Lam and Tong had not known they were carrying heroin and that they should not be charged with importing the drug into Singapore because they were in transit.
Lam said a man approached him to carry blocks of tranquillisers to Belgium in order to avoid paying customs duties on them. He was promised HK$30,000 in payment.