![Update: Russian woman who claimed cocaine was planted in her bag by Nigerian lover sentenced to life imprisonment](https://alexis.lindaikejisblog.com/photos/shares/5af06d91da78e.jpg)
A court in Ho Chi Minh City in Friday,
sentenced a Russian woman to life imprisonment for smuggling cocaine
through Vietnam, sparing her capital punishment as her lawyer defended
that she was just a victim.
Maria
Aleksandr Dapirka, 32, narrowly escaped death as proposed by
prosecutors after her lawyer successfully argued that she was duped into
being a drug mule for an international ring.
See previous report here
According
to the indictment, Dapirka was working as a furniture designer in
Thailand when she met a Nigerian man named Mathew Chili, or Nick, around
March 2014 and agreed to go traveling with him.
![Update: Russian woman who claimed cocaine was planted in her bag by Nigerian lover sentenced to life imprisonment](https://alexis.lindaikejisblog.com/photos/shares/5af06dbd506d3.jpg)
In
late July 2014, Nick gave Dapirka $1,000 and a flight ticket to Sao
Paulo, Brazil, but did not accompany her on the trip. Half a month
later, he then asked her to bring him a bag from his friend in Brazil
and booked her a flight to Laos.
Tan
Son Nhat International Airport Customs detained Dapirka on August 23,
2014 while she was transiting in Ho Chi Minh City with the bag she had
received from Nick's friend.
Upon
searching her luggage, customs officials discovered more than 2.2
kilograms (4.9 pounds) of cocaine hidden inside a laptop bag and the
covers of two magazines.
At the trial, the Russian woman claimed she was unaware of the cocaine. Vietnam has some of the world’s toughest drug laws.
Those
convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or
cocaine or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine could face the
death penalty.
The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death.
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