In a world where busts for illicit drugs are almost nightly news, it is easy to forget that many criminals still make a living from smuggling drugs that are quite legal and socially acceptable.
Due to the fact that legal drugs such as tobacco and alcohol attract such high duties and taxes from government regulators, there is quite a bit of profit to be saved by avoiding such taxes. That at least is the obvious motivation for smuggling such goods. By simply moving goods accross state lines without declaring the goods to state agents, criminals are able to keep a relatively easy line of profit going.
The Iranian drug smuggler who duped 36-year old Ruzana Zubir of Malaysia into carrying opium resin into Australia for him has been revealed to be 55-year old Bahman Jalilipanah Gholamali, formerly only known as “Haj”. He had befriended her, become a business partner and then, according to Zubir, gave her a package he said contained herbs for a sick friend in Australia. It actually turned out to be a 5kg block of opium resin.
Zubir was acquitted over a week ago of all drug trafficking charges against her in an Australian court after having been arrested last May in Brisbane airport on charges of drug smuggling. What made her case so interesting was that the tar-like block wrapped in tape that had been found in her bag had actually been discovered a few days before in Sydney airport. After being asked for and then having given an accurate travel itinerary to police, she was allowed to continue on with her trip while they investigated the contents of the package. As she made her way out of the country she realised that she had been played for a sucker, as did the jury a year later.