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Ex-US diplomat in his 60s is jailed for 14 years in Russia after being caught smuggling 'medical' marijuana inside contact lens case at Moscow airport
- Ex-diplomat Marc Fogel was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport in 2021
- He was an English teacher at $34,000-a-year Anglo-American School in Moscow
- He was later charged with smuggling and possession of 'large scale' of narcotics
- He pleaded guilty to charges of smuggling, storing and manufacturing narcotics
Marc Fogel, an English teacher at the $34,000-a-year Anglo-American School in Moscow, was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport in August.
He was charged with smuggling and possession of a 'large scale' of narcotics after officers randomly searched his suitcase.
He pleaded guilty to charges of smuggling, storing, transporting, manufacturing and processing narcotic drugs.
The punitive sentence for the US citizen - who formerly had diplomatic status - is seen as a move by Russia to hold 'legal hostages' for potential swap deals in future.
It comes as a raft of other high profile Americans continue to languish in prisons across the country, including WNBA player Brittney Griner.
Former US Marine Paul Whelan is another slumped in a cell while fellow ex-soldier Trevor Reed was swapped for a Russian earlier this year.
- Marc Fogel, an English teacher at the $34,000-a-year Anglo-American School in Moscow, has been sentenced to 14 years in a Russian jail
- Fogel was charged with smuggling and possession of a 'large scale' of narcotics by a Moscow court
- Marc Fogel, left, with wife Jane, center left, son Sam, 22, center right, and son Ethan, 24, right
In January, Fogel told lawyers who visited him he used marijuana for medical reasons after spinal surgery.
The amount he possessed when detained was 17 grams, or just over half an ounce, he said.
He was 'unaware of Russia's ban on medical marijuana,' said Alexander Khurudzhi, a member of Russia's Public Monitoring Commission.
'He does not understand why he was arrested,' he added after the teacher was held earlier this year.
Surveillance footage from the airport shows the moment inspectors found the marijuana package in his contact lens case hidden inside his trainers.
The Russian Interior Ministry said: 'The drugs were carefully disguised: marijuana was packaged in contact lens case, and cannabis oil was contained in e-cigarette cartridges.'
The statement added: 'All of it was wrapped in plastic and hidden in his sneakers.'
- Surveillance footage from the airport shows inspectors with sniffer dogs identifying particular items of interest among his luggage
Marc Fogel was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport in August (pictured above) after he was found with 17 grams of medicinal marijuana hidden in his suitcase, according to officials
- They found a 'carefully disguised' marijuana package in his contact lens case hidden inside his trainers
Another video showed investigators rummaging through his belongings in his office at the elite $34,000-a-year school premises in Moscow.
Documents and personal items, including a baseball hat, were later recovered from his office.
The Russians also claim Fogel's wife Jane sought to remove evidence from their home before it was reached by police.
Footage allegedly shows her disposing of evidence.
'She took a bundle out of the house and threw it in the trash, and later took it outside the residential complex,' said a RIA Novosti report citing local law enforcement.
Fogel and his wife were protected under diplomatic status until May 2021, the Russian Interior Ministry added.
The couple have two sons, Sam, 22, and Ethan, 24, who had both attended the Anglo-American School in Moscow.
The prestigious academy traditionally serves the children of expats, including diplomats, in Moscow as well as enrolling those from wealthy Russian families.
- The Russians also claim that Fogel's wife, Jane, sought to remove evidence from their home before it was reached by police alleging that video shows her disposing of evidence
- Investigators also rummaged through Fogel's belongings in his office at the elite $34,000-a-year school premises in Moscow
Earlier this week a Russian court extended the detention of basketball star Griner for a second time, meaning she will be held without trial until at least July 2.
The US State Department says the 31-year-old has been 'wrongfully detained' since Russian officials accused her of drug smuggling at an airport in February.
'The court granted the request of the investigation and extended the detention period for US citizen Griner for 18 days, until July 2,' a court representative said.
The State Department warned Americans not to travel to Russia amid concerns the Kremlin may target them in order to swap them for Russians held in US prisons.
A State Department spokesman said officials were working to secure Griner's release.
'I've seen the reports emanating from Russia that her detention has been extended,' said Ned Price.
'Our position for some time on this has been very clear: Brittney Griner should not be detained. She should not be detained for a single day longer.'
Former US Marine Whelan was another sentenced for a stint in prison by a court in Moscow.
He was given 16 years in May 2020 on espionage charges which were quickly condemned by the US as a 'mockery of justice'.
- A smiling Marc Fogel pictured holding his match day ticket in front of Luzhniki stadium before a World Cup match in 2018
- Fogel has two sons, Sam, 22, and Ethan, 24, who had both attended the Anglo-American School in Moscow
Source:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...14-years-Russia-caught-medical-marijuana.html
