Former model gets 15 years over 251mg of cocaine
The Nation June 13, 2014 1:00 am
The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced former model Chatchaya Cuesta Ramos, better known as Yuyee, to 15 years in prison and fined her Bt1.5 million after finding her guilty of smuggling cocaine into the country.
The court initially handed her a 20-year jail term and a Bt2 million fine but reduced both on grounds that her testimony was useful to the case.
Yuyee was arrested on November 10, 2012 at Don Mueang International Airport after customs officials found 251mg of cocaine in her suitcase upon arrival from Vietnam. She was charged with illegally possessing and smuggling a type-2 narcotic into Thailand.
Separately, the Min Buri Court also handed the 41-year-old down an additional three months in prison for having protected wildlife in her possession.
Her lawyer Prasert Boonkaew said that Yuyee's husband had prepared Bt2 million to apply for bail while an appeal for a lower sentence was mounted.
Yuyee, who was at the ruling yesterday, didn't comment.
