British woman sentenced to death in Indonesia for cocaine - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

A 56-year-old British woman was sentenced to death by an Indonesian court on Tuesday for smuggling cocaine in the island of Bali, the AP reports.

The amount of drugs smuggled into the resort island is estimated to be worth $2.5 million.

Lindsay June Sandiford was arrested in May when customs officers at Bali's airport discovered 3.8 kilograms (8.4 pounds) of cocaine in the lining of her luggage. She had previously claimed in court that she was forced into taking the drugs into the country by a gang that was threatening to hurt one of her children.

A verdict is expected in the trial of Sandiford's alleged accomplice, British man Julian Anthony Pounder, on Wednesday. He is accused of being the recipient of the drugs Sandiford was smuggling.

There are about 40 foreigners on death row in Indonesia, most of them on drug crimes. Indonesia, which like many Asian countries is very strict on drug crimes, has an estimated 114 prisoners on death row.

There have been no executions in the country since 2008, when 10 people were put to death.

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