KUALA LUMPUR: A judge in Malaysia has sentenced three Mexicans and two others to death for drug trafficking. The Mexicans, all brothers, are to be killed, in accordance with Malaysia's stiff drug penalties, by hanging. The Mexicans, from Sinaloa – a leading drug spot in Mexico – have no criminal record in North America. According to them, they were arrested while attempting to clean-up a secluded drug factory in 2008, claiming they had, and have no intention of making drugs. Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Mohamad Zawawi Salleh ruled the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and imposed the death sentence, the mandatory penalty for drug trafficking in Malaysia. The other defendants are a Singaporean and a Malaysian. “The court finds all five accused are aware and are involved in the activity of drug-making,” Mohamad Zawawi said, adding that the verdict should be a warning to potential drug offenders. “We are very sad. We thought we would be acquitted,” said the eldest brother, Luis Alfonso Gonzales. The court had previously rejected the defense's contention that some evidence discrepancies amounted to tampering after a chemist testified that seven items he received for analysis looked different from what he had seen at the factory. The prosecution denied there was any manipulation that undermined the trial. At the factory where the men were arrested, police found more than 29 kilograms (63 pounds) of methamphetamine worth 44 million ringgit ($15 million). Judge Mohamed Zawawi said it was clear the men were arrested at an illegal drug laboratory. Traces of drug chemicals were on their clothes, and their claim to have been cleaning the place was not logical because stains were also found on their underwear, he said.
