Siem Reap Provincial Court sentenced a Filipino man and a Thai woman to 28 years in prison and fined them 60 million riel [US$15,000] each on charges of drug smuggling, trafficking and possession.

“We decided to send them to jail for detaining. We allow them an appeal but we aren’t sure whether they will appeal,” said Judge Hok Pov.

Phoum Bunthen, the lawyer for the two, said the verdict against his clients, a Thai woman named Kotamee Napaphon, 29 and a Filipino man identified as Bertumen Edgar Celocial, 39, was unacceptable.

“My Thai client requested the court to reduce the punishment but I’m not sure that she will appeal or not while the other said he will appeal,” he said.

Kotamee was arrested by customs and immigration police forces at Siem Reap airport on August 15, and Celocia a day later at Siem Reap town’s Angkor Touch Hotel.

Police say they found 3,425 grams of methamphetamines in a black bag that belonged to the Thai woman, and that the Filipino man was her accomplice.

They were taken in after police caught a Vietnamese woman who was apparently involved in the scheme and was caught trying to enter through the Phnom Penh International Airport with a package of methamphetamines.