KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysia court this past week sentenced a Japanese woman to death after she was convicted of smuggling in methamphetamine to the country. According to officials, she will be the first Japanese citizen to be put to death in Malaysia on drug charges. A high court in Shah Alam near the capital Kuala Lumpur found Mariko Takeuchi guilty of drug trafficking. Customs official revealed the verdict marked the first time a Japanese national had been arrested for smuggling drugs into Malaysia, which is known for its tough anti-drug laws. A mandatory death penalty is given by Malaysia in cases involving drug smuggling. Human rights organizations have called for Malaysia to end its death penalty for drug-related crimes, and a top Indonesian police official said this summer that the death penalty was not a deterrent in ending drug smuggling in either Indonesia or Malaysia. Takeuchi, a 36-year-old former nurse, was arrested in October last year at Kuala Lumpur International Airport after arriving via Dubai with 3.5 kilograms of the drug. Takeuchi has testified that she was duped by a man into carrying a bag containing the methamphetamine but did not know the drugs were inside. She can appeal the verdict. The Japan Embassy in Malaysia did not return queries from Bikyamasr.com on the case.
