May 24, 2010

Surgery needed after traveller swallows drugs

A Vietnamese student needed surgery to remove a package of heroin he had swallowed wrapped in condoms before flying back from Vietnam three weeks ago.

Tri Phan, 27, now faces deportation after a possible jail term on the charge of importing the class A drug following a sentencing in the High Court at Christchurch set for July 1.

Immigration officials were at the Christchurch District Court today in case Phan was released on bail. They are revoking his student visa and setting deportation arrangements in motion.

Phan pleaded guilty at his appearance before Judge Stephen Erber.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Berryman told the court Phan returned to Christchurch on a Singapore Airlines flight on May 1 from Singapore, after spending two months in Vietnam.

Two days later, Phan complained to his family that he was not able to go to the toilet and was admitted to Christchurch Hospital for emergency surgery.

A small package was removed from his bowel and handed to the police.

It contained 0.3g of heroin wrapped in tinfoil which had been placed inside three condoms.

Phan admitted swallowing the package of the drug he had bought in Vietnam. He said he was an intraveinous drug user who regularly injected morphine.

Defence counsel David Bunce said the drug importation was at the lowest end of the scale. It was for personal use, and had been bought in Vietnam for the equivalent of about $7. He had bought it there because it was much cheaper.

Phan had been fully co-operative and was now recovering from the surgery.

Judge Erber said: ?The importation into New Zealand of a class A drug is a very serious offence, whether the drug is for personal use or otherwise.?

He refused bail and remanded Phan in custody for sentence.