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Med student in meth importation bust

Summary

Palesa Ntsulumbana, 24, a South African medical student, was jailed for two years after importing about three kilograms of methamphetamine worth €183,060 into Ireland. She travelled from South Africa via Dubai, was stopped at Dublin Airport on 13 December 2020, and was given a suitcase she believed contained clothing. Garda John Perillo reported that she had been offered roughly €2,000 to bring the suitcase and that she had no prior convictions. Ntsulumbana pleaded guilty to importing illegal drugs. Judge Melanie Greally described the case as an unusual set of circumstances, noting that Ntsulumbana was likely manipulated and perhaps unwittingly acted as a mule. She was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, including leaving the country within 14 days of release and not returning for 20 years.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Med student in meth importation bust. Charges or matters: importing illegal drugs at Dublin Airport on December 13, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• December 13, 2020 Incident
• 2021-07-14 Publication

Why: He agreed his client told gardaí she had never looked in the suitcase because it was locked. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report