Kristian Peter Stiegler was pleading with police officials at Narcotics Drugs Law Enforcement Unit (NDLEU) for a reduced sentence in exchange for helping them bring all those involved with him to book. [break]
“I am not a life-long international drugs dealer like the Drugs Enforcement Agency thinks. I was only smart enough to break the system,” he said smugly.
The 45-year-old Stiegler has been accused of concealing hashish inside Buddhist prayer wheels and parceling them to US via speed way cargo. “I tested the system many times prior to dispatching the prayer wheels containing drugs and started with small amount of drugs,” he said during the interrogation, adding, “I just figured out the system and developed a year-long relationship with the cargo people and they trusted me.”
Police arrested the US citizen on December 29 from his rented accommodation in Swayambhu on the charge of smuggling drugs. He was caught four hours prior to leaving for India via Lumbini.
According to officials, Stiegler had dispatched 1140 grams of hashish via speed-way cargo, on December 28, to New Orleans, but the NDLEU team was able to intercept it. The investigation of NDLEU has found that the 900 grams of drugs intercepted by DEA was dispatched on December 18.
“DEA of the US was able to intercept the parcel in Dubai and we are investigating to confirm whether it is hashish or opium,” said Nawaraj Silwal, deputy chief at NDLEU.
If the drugs intercepted by DEA is found to be opium, then Stiegler may face an imprisonment of more than 15 years, according to Silwal.
Stiegler, who is currently in judicial custody, will just face up to three years of imprisonment if found guilty for smuggling only hashish.
It has also been revealed that the detainee, who originally hails from New Orleans, America, had acquired one-year student visas twice--in September 16, 2010 and September 4, 2011--and has been living in Nepal for quite a long time. He has, however, admitted that he has never attended any college even though he is in Nepal on student visa. He said he came to Nepal for the first time in 1997 on a tourist visa.
Stiegler said he has a degree in website designing and claimed himself to be a ´big businessman´.
The NDLEU team was able to nab Rajendra K.C, the man who supplied drugs to Stiegler, on the latter´s tip-off.
SP Silwal, who suspects that Stiegler has been involved in illicit drug shipment from a long time, said that NDLEU might request the court for a shorter imprisonment if he cooperates with them to bring the members of his ring and other accomplices to book.
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