WILLEMSTAD - A 31-year-old man from Curaçao has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, six of which are conditional, for his role in an attempt to send cocaine to the Netherlands by mail. The case was heard in court last Tuesday after customs officers discovered 580 grams of cocaine hidden in bottles of cream and hair products inside a shipping box.
The man claimed he was simply delivering the package to the post office on behalf of a friend and had put his name on it in exchange for 50 guilders for gas money. He insisted he had no knowledge of the package’s contents and saw nothing suspicious. However, further investigation revealed traces of cocaine in the products.
The prosecutor argued that the man had recklessly exposed himself to risks by transporting goods for an unknown sender without verifying their contents. During the trial, the suspect refused to reveal the sender’s identity, fearing potential repercussions against his family.
The judge sided with the prosecution’s request and sentenced the man to 12 months in prison, with eight months suspended, and a probation period of three years. Despite not being the sender himself, he was convicted of drug smuggling.