Drug runner in a strange land

£ ? TU I ™ n . ner caught and dealt ‘ h .‘ n . ?tenn^ ds J n pnl L hiad ? fine of . *50.000 reduced to a " d a , sentence of five years prisonment reduced to four years the Fiji Court of Appeal. And ; Piper Cherokee aircraft he flew, uch was forfeited to the Solomon ands Government, has been reised to Bishop Aviation Ltd, in 5w Zealand, on payment of an unreified, but believed to be substan- 1, sum of money.

The drug runner was VannHrpv BisW 33 of Auckland H .s on his way from Hong w Zealand. His aircraft was irched when it landed in the Soloms, and officials found 101 lb of mabis resin. Bishop, in the High urt of the BSIP, pleaded guilty to arges of possession of marihuana

d importing prohibited drugs.

, ... ln an appeal to the Fiji Court of

Appeal on the grounds of severity of sent ?? ce > Blshop banned , the total punishment was manifestly excessive . Mr Richard Davis, for the crown, agreed that the $50,000 seemed very difficult to justify and suggested it could be reduced to an amount Bishop could conceivably pay. The five years’ imprisonment was not excessive in the circumstances, as Bishop could have received a stiffer sentence in New Zealand, where he was bound.

The court chairman, Sir Trevor Gould: More severe than five years, sso ’° 0 00 and the forfeiture of his air-

cratt? .

M f Davis said he was °nly referrm 8 t 0 tlie length of the prison tei ?}- . Mr Karam Ramrakha, for Bishop, s Jf d the c 9 urt s . hou l d consider the effect a native prison would have on a New Zealander accustomed to a more sophisticated life cycle. Bishop com-

plained about inadequate toilet facili ties, and lice in his blankets. Bishop had tried to escape, and had been put in a punishment cell, which at least had its own toilet. t Negligible recreational facilities and °* “J te English con v^ r . satlon ™ ade J lfe almost like so ld ary confinement.No counselling, P s V chiatn .c or rehabilitation facilities available. If the judges weighed all those factors they could conclude at a l? v .e-year P nson sentence be- ? am ? vlc l ous and f ° r a 0 eigner m a strange land - When Bishop was dealt with in the BSIP, the High Court was told that the drugs were worth between $150,000 and $200,000. Bishop said then he was to be paid $50,000 to take the drugs into New Zealand, He did not consider himself a “pur veyor of misery” as there was a dif ference between hard and soft drugs.