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Subscribe to RSSKATMANDU, Nepal -- Police in Nepal have arrested a U.S. man who was allegedly a member of a smuggling ring that sent illegal drugs into the United States by concealing them in Buddhist prayer wheels.
The drugs, which were also put into metal bowls, were sent via Federal Express, authorities said.
Police official Navraj Silwal said Kristian Peter Stiegler, 45, was detained while trying to send 2.5 pounds of hashish, a form of cannabis, and 2 pounds of suspected opium.
If tests confirm the substance is opium, Stiegler could face up to 20 years in prison.
However, Silwal said Stiegler would likely get a lighter sentence because he was cooperating in the investigation into the alleged drug ring.
'Hefty sum'
Silwal said Stiegler has lived in Nepal and India for three years and was suspected of sending several drug shipments.
The Himalayan News Service said hashish was allegedly sent to Europe, as well as to the United States.
It reported the smuggling ring was discovered when police in Dubai intercepted two parcels of hashish that Steigler had allegedly sent to a New Orleans woman.
"Stiegler used to send hashish to the woman via airmail in the form of parcels and the woman used to distribute the drug in black market for a hefty sum," Yadav Raj Adhikari, chief of the Narcotic Drug Control Law Enforcement Unit, told the Himalayan News Service.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The items were not exported from Thailand...
Where any Buddhist religious items even the reproductions are restricted from export...
On another note...
I wonder why MSNBC is not reporting the Chinese KILLING Buddhist, AGAIN???
reference - http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1178588/1/.html
Anti-Chinese are you. It's OK I'm Anti-American. If in China he would have got the death sentence.
If he were in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and many Arab countries, he would have also...
IMO - He deserves the death sentence...
I'm not anti-Chinese, in fact I have Chinese relatives..
I'm anti-killers of defenseless people and countries that invade/occupy other countries and engage in social dilution or prostitution of a culture... Which both the USA and Chinese Governments have and are doing...
AC Robertson,
"The items were not exported from Thailand..."
I don't think the Thais use prayer wheels. Most Thais are Theravada Buddhists. Prayer wheels are characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism.
I agree with you. I was brought up in a violent country and have first hand experience. I have been in China for four years and never experienced anything other than great hospitality and friendship.
I thought those Buddhist' looked like they may occasionally "roll one".
Being an American Buddhist, this is very disturbing, do people have no values, no morals, to do this to anything representing any religion is very, very sad, my heart goes out to these lost souls.
....now that's a man of Buddha! He was hiding some for his "highness" Buddha
So what. A US citizen residing in Nepal was caught distributing drugs through the mail system---not like it hasn't been done yesterday, today or tomorrow. The vessel used to hide the drugs is immaterial, as it's only a matter of time individuals like him will eventually be caught when drug laden parcels pass through scanning devices, drug sniffing dogs, or QC checks.
He's busted and will do time for his crime.
The headline says Nepal. That is a different country from Thailand and they tolerate hash and cannabis because it is part of the culture, plus the guy is going to cooperate with the law so he will not get twenty years according to the article.
AC Robertson, Thanks for the link.
Heck of a way to bring in the Chinese new year...
Chinese are the enemy. We know who the enemy is. Just because Congress and the White House are blowing them, they don't rate schmutz with the working class.
The Chinese are just doing what the USA did during the 18 & 1900's. And the same can be said for the other nations of the World when they came to power...
It was wrong then and it is wrong NOW...
Hopefully the Chinese will research history and realize what the ultimate out-come is going to be...
They are already instituting policies to protect their people from International Companies greed. They are now well on the way to control their; population, pollution, and energy needs. Social reforms will also have to be addressed, prior to internal conflict taking center stage...
But only time will tell.
Unfortunately the Military Industrial Complex has taken over in the USA. And FAILED social policies are causing the EU to collapse. BOTH have ignored the fall of the USSR and the Roman Empire, and are repeating the same mistakes...
Who is threatening the US Citizen???
Exxon - Has made around 9% profit after taxes for the last decade. They also pay some of the best wages and benefits of any company in the world. They invested $10+BILLION USD in a 'deep water' drilling platform that was supplying 1% of the TOTAL US crude oil production in 2007... The USA is now a EXPORTER of gasoline and soon to be EXPORTER of NG to the world...
Walmart - Has made around 15% profit after taxes. They pay low wages and almost ZERO benefits, unless you work for them in China, where you are Union Labor. They are also responsible in forcing many suppliers to become more environmentally conscious and requiring them to reduce shipping cost..
McDonnalds - Makes over 20% profit after taxes. They pay minimum wages and they exploit foreign workers, that they are bringing to the USA...
WallStreet and US Banks - Are borrowing money from the US Fed for almost ZERO % interest and charging US Credit card holders 20%+interest rates...
Now tell me who is exploiting the US public???
Somebody didn't get their payoff or the local competition rolled him over ....
Go after the real drug problem in the US ..... "Prescription Drugs!" ... that where the real abuse is!
I bet Stiegler is wishing he had one of those wheels now along with a pretty thick prayer rug so he can try and get the all mighty to get his moronic ass out of jail. When they say his prison time will be less because he is cooperation that means that they will only give him 15 years instead of 20. As far as I am concerned, they should let the punk rot in the joint.
I'm with Bob Seger. "I think I'm goin' to Katmandu."
Wow, it's quiet in here. I guess no one has anything to say about this drug smuggler because he is an AMERICAN and not Mexican! You know if this was a dealer from Mexico, this board would have blown up!
My prayer wheel was empty...
Note: If you go hiking in China, don't wear your "Free Tibet" T-shirt. You'll see about Chinese "friendship and hospitality" if you do.
Tibet will never be free. Even if they free themselves from Chinese rule, the people will still be trapped by their mindless religious belief. Somewhere some kid will be born and is somehow the ruler of you and all the people. It is the Lion King or English Royalty, you are here to serve and obey someone who had done nothing except to be born into the right family.
Isn't that the story of Jesus? "Somewhere some kid will be born and is somehow the ruler of you and all the people", talk about mindless......
At least someone tried to find a use for a useless buddha "prayer" wheel. GOD is Not hiding in a piece of wood or stone. HE is Spirit and "Those who Worship HIM, must Worship HIM in Spirit and Truth."John 4:24
Followers of Buddhism believe that you have to be a good person your entire lives and you are responsible for everything that you do. If I were to choose to follow an organized religion it would be that rather than one that says you can be a crappy person your entire life, join up and then everything is magically OK. Talk about useless.
Life is painless?
"However, Silwal said Stiegler would likely get a lighter sentence because he was cooperating in the investigation into the alleged drug ring."
I bet the drug lords love to read that. LOL the courts go light the media sentences him to death most likely.
Ooh to be young again and know now what i didn't know back then,how sweet that would be
DID U KNOW,when the good lord was giving out brains GEORGE BUSH thought he said trains and said ,i'll get the next one -which of course he didn't--so much for dum dum
isee the bible bumpers are at it again religious, my DUPPA, bunch of hypocritical idiots- still visiting the church of sleezy SWAGGART,caught with a prostitue, begged forgiveness from his wife and children 2 weeks later caught again with the same prostitute, how sweet that must have been and yet u idiots give him thousands of dollars ever week how gullible can u bible thumpers be?- he's laughin all the way o the bank send me a dollar very one of u people and i'll tell u what u want to hear---- SWAGGERT'S motto----------come thru the roof,lord and i'll pay for the shingles----get alife---u bible thumpers.
Why don't ALL you people from both sides of the political spectrum just stop with the personal views which are meaningless anyway, and embrace what this is exactly, history. Whatever Kennedy, Johnson or even Nixon were, they are now just that, history. And the real issue is here to examine history and the events of the day and to learn from that. This does include these Presidents actions, thoughts, and yes morality as well. All were indeed flawed, just as all of us are. Woe to us that do not take these events at face value, disect them and go on to a better life for all humanity after we have learned all that we can. Stop with the ridiculous personal assumptions about this one or that one and do your due. Read and learn about them truly. Only then can you issue your opinion that is well founded and has some weight to it. Otherwise, be doomed to misguided repeats of the past and to your own failure at the future. Look at the mess we are in now. It can be fixed, but only with rational and a well thought plan not based on personal "conjecture" Think about it if you are able and be honest, otherwise we are all doomed to the same fate. And I don't want that, do you. A disolution of our fabled country. I think not.
Robbie. I thought everyone gave up glue sniffing years ago. Well, there are always some who never give up. The next leader of the Tibetan people will likely be elected. That means the government in exile and not the Chinese imposed government which will never be elected as long as the Chinese have their way. Their own government is not elected so why would they allow the Tibetans to have free elections. I hear all this garbage about how wonderful China is until the sap gets picked up by the Chinese police. Sorry, I have been to China and you can have it. I spent almost a full day getting interogated by an officer in the PLA. Of course a little bribe is always the way to settle these things right?