Australian drug smuggler sentenced to death in China
- Defendant has been in custody since 2013 after being caught trying to carry more than 7.5kg of methamphetamine out of the country, newspaper report says
- Court ruling comes amid rising tensions between Beijing and Canberra
An Australian man has been sentenced to death for drug trafficking by a court in southern China.
The Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court made the ruling on Wednesday against the man, who was identified only as an Australian citizen.
As well as the death sentence, his assets would be seized, the court said in a statement on its website, without providing any further details.
However, a report by Yangcheng Evening News said the man was arrested at the end of 2013 when customs officers at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport discovered more than 7.5kg (16.5lbs) of Ice, a form of methamphetamine, in his bag as he was trying to leave the country.
A report by The Sydney Morning Herald identified the man as Karm Gilespie.
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China says bilateral relations not related to death penalty sentence for Australian in drugs case
While Australia’s foreign ministry said consular assistance was being provided to a citizen in China, it would not confirm the person’s identity, citing privacy obligations.