Appeal lost by woman for LSD import

Press, 24 August 1988, Page 14

Appeal lost by woman for LSD import

PA Wellington The Court of Appeal has turned down an appeal from a woman who rented a post office box for drug smuggling. Malene Helle Morgan was found guilty by a jury in the High Court in Auckland of importing lysergide.

She was sentenced to 18 months prison, against which she appealed. Delivering the judgement, Mr Justice Hardie Boys said the Court of Appeal adopted the view of the trial judge- that' Morgan’s role was not unimportant and the 18month sentence was not excessive. Morgan had arranged for the box rental, received advice of the importation and arranged for its pick-up on delivery. Mr Justice Hardie Boys said that on November 7, 1985, Customs officers intercepted an envelope containing 225 LSD tablets.

The LSD had been posted from Holland by Gregory Paul Edwards. The officers resealed the envelope and returned it for delivery to the post office box on the address. They kept the box under surveillance. On November 11, Morgan drove her husband to the post office. He opened the box, but heard a Customs officer say the box had already been opened. The husband walked away without touching the envelope. Morgan had said she rented the box to import pornographic videos. Edwards had said he would send her some while he was overseas. She maintained she had no idea he had sent drugs. The trial judge said he had the distinct impression the box was set up for drug-dealing and the videos story was just a red herring.