Five women charged after 1,300 cocaine pellets found in luggage, face capital charges

Five foreign women were each handed a capital charge on July 31 after they were allegedly found with more than 1,300 pellets containing nearly 27kg of cocaine in Singapore.

At least some of the pellets were said to be found inside stuffed toys.

The women were arrested at the Changi Airport Terminal 4 transit area on July 29 following an exchange of intelligence between Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and the Narcotics Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force.

The women are Hong Konger Chung Ka Yiu, 21, and four Kenyans - Faith Awino Ouma, 27; Genetrix Atsieno Juma, 27; Joyce Njeri Mburu, 30 and Margaret Kawira Mungai, 32.

Chung and Mungai are accused of working together to traffic 289 pellets containing nearly 6kg of cocaine.

According to court documents, Mungai had allegedly given the pellets to Chung.

The other three women are each accused of importing between 275 and 380 pellets containing the drug.

Each woman's case is said to involve between 5.9kg and 7.9kg of cocaine.

The cases involving Chung, Mungai, Ouma and Mburu have been adjourned to Aug 7.

Juma's case will be mentioned again in court on Aug 28.

Without revealing details, CNB said on July 31 that officers arrested two of the women when they were exchanging suitcases which contained stuffed toys.

Later, cocaine was allegedly found hidden inside the toys.

CNB did not disclose how the other three women were caught.

Anyone found guilty of trafficking over 30g of cocaine can be given the death penalty.