Colombians In Court For 2107 DHL Cocaine Shipment

Phnom Penh : Two Colombian nationals have been in court over a case of importing cocaine. On November 20, 2017, Cambodian police received information from Brazil that international drug shipments were coming to Cambodia through DHL.

After receiving this information, Cambodian law enforcement teamed with DHL to review a package from Brazil addressed to Mr. Som Vuthy, the owner of a brand-new car dealership, located at 181 Teppan Street, Sangkat Phsar Depot 1, Toul Kork. 

The package contained 20 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside car parts. Accordingly, the authorities contacted the receiver and arrested Som Vutty at that time. After the interrogation, the Cambodian also gave the names of Colombian men: Quevedo Pinzonfelix Rodrigo , 51, a businessman working in China and Giraldo Marulandajuan Carlos, a 45-year-old Colombian-born gem trader also working in China.

The case was heard by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge on May 28, 2020. At the hearing, the two Colombian men denied they owned the drugs. Quevedo told the court that in October 2017, he had contacted Vet Vam Vuthy to order car parts from Som on November 20, 2017 through DHL. 

Giraldo Marulandajuan admitted he had been called to Cambodia for a visa extension for a one-day stay. On November 25, 2017, he took a tuk-tuk from the airport and went for a leisurely stroll before returning. Only when the tuk-tuk driver stopped at a garage was he arrested by the Cambodian police for the drugs, which he claims to know nothing about.

Although the defendants denied the prosecution’s representation, Sayora requested the court to impose a strict sentence on the two foreigners. Trial Chamber President Seng Leang has set a date for June 5, 2020 to declare the verdict. The men have already been detained for 30 months. KPT