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.

She arrived back home in Malaysia last week after a year’s detention in a women’s correction facility. Having lost over a year of her life she was determined to have another go at it. If Gholamali is convicted in his upcoming trial for the possession of 2 kg of opium he won’t have the same opportunity, as he will face the mandatory death penalty. After her arrest she fingered him as the man who gave the package, with Australian police tipping off their Malaysian counterparts who swooped on his Kuala Lumpur apartment.

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