Kalynda Davis' friends shocked at ice arrest in China

[ro4eva]

Cocaine is pretty evil as well. Just read up on the history of Columbia for ample evidence.

Cocaine was never - for any reason whatsoever - a federal political level cause for concern until early 1914 when some rather racist and jealous American-Caucasians in the southern United States began to identify it as the intoxicant of choice of African-Americans who were trying to enjoy themselves while out in public in a post-slavery, early 20th Century America.

Unfortunately, the sight of seeing black men dancing with white women after mustering up the courage to do so in the first place - with the help of an intoxicant (Cocaine) which "took the edge off" - was just too much for the white men to accept. As a result, they began to provoke these innocent African-Americans by way of racial slurs and violence for choosing to mingle with Caucasian-American women. And once their victims also mustered up the courage to try and fight back, these same racist, jealous goons swiftly contacted their journalist-acquaintances who were working for the local newspaper serving the region and spun a tale of "crazed negro cocaine fiends with superhuman power behaving irrationally violent towards their light-skinned counterparts."

This is how America put a stop to the original recipe of Coca Cola, which had Cocaine instead of Caffeine in it.

This is how the individuals directly responsible for the creation of the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914 were influenced.

This is how Harry Anslinger managed to convince America in the 30s that the movie "Reefer Madness" contains very realistic depictions of anyone who chooses to smoke Cannabis Sativa/Marijuana.

The native peoples of Bolivia, Peru, and Columbia have been chewing the leaves of the Erythroxylum Coca plant - of which, Cocaine is a constituent alkaloid - for thousands of years with no reports of acute harm - a practice which continues to this day.

Is Cocaine risk free? Absolutely not.

Is Cocaine (psychically physically) addictive - that is, does it (with chronic and prolonged use) cause a physical dependency to develop? Based on years of first hand experience, as well as years of discussion with other users, I would say the answer is, for the most part, no. Yes, there is a "crash" period which follows suddenly stopping its usage in such situations, but the effects are mostly mental/emotional/psychological, and not comparable to the likes of Diacetylmorphine (Heroin) and other commonly used 'partial' and 'full' µ-opioid agonists such as Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Fentanyl, Methadone, Buprenorphine, Meperidine/Pethedine, and so forth.

Is Cocaine (psychologically) addictive? For some people, there's no doubt that it is definitely habit forming. Last I checked, the number is ~20% (or approximately 2 in 10) of people who try the drug will end up becoming habitual users. And while that number may seem high, consider the fact that in at numero uno happens to be none other than Nicotine with ~30% (or approximately 3 in 10) of people who try smoking will end up addicted.

Do I recommend that people use Cocaine and other mind altering substances in a recreational manner? Well, apart from how stupendously irrelevant my answer will be to pretty much every reader, it's "no - stay away if you can, but do not feel like a criminal for doing so, because, unless you victimized someone in the process, you definitely don't deserve to partake in the sharing of such a title ("criminal") with the likes of rapists, murderers, extortionists, pedophiles, etc."

Did I overdo this response and not realize until at the last minute? Guilty. And with that said, I'll shut up now. Random smartass signing off

 

[Crankinit]

Is Cocaine (psychically) addictive - that is, does it (with chronic and prolonged use) cause a physical dependency to develop?

I assume 'psychically' was a typo?

Cocaine was never - for any reason whatsoever - a cause for concern until early 1914 etc.

I'm gonna have to disagree. There's no doubt that a whole pile of racism lead up to the Harrison Narcotic's Act, but even without the problem of it's illicit nature, cocaine is still one of the most toxic recreational drugs out there (certainly among the "classics" - weed, coke, amphetamine, heroin, etc). Coke is a whole pile of bad news for the cardiovascular system (Just look at the ER stats.), and nothing you do to the drug, even legalizing it, will change that.

 

[neversickanymore]

No cocain does not cause very much if any physical dependence. Its highly addictive. It rips through the BBB so fast that scientists have claimed that resultant heat from this damages the BBB.

The possibility of addiction is dependent on how much mesolimbic reward pathway stimulation is achieved and how fast this stimulation happens. Cokes ability to roar through the BBB, esp when consumed by IV or smoking, makes the resultant rush very fast and strong. This heavily promotes addiction. It also initially causes very intense experiences of pleasure, which is adds difficulty to resiting addictive cravings.

 

[ro4eva]

I assume 'psychically' was a typo?

Yes, my mistake.

I'm gonna have to disagree. There's no doubt that a whole pile of racism lead up to the Harrison Narcotic's Act, but even without the problem of it's illicit nature, cocaine is still one of the most toxic recreational drugs out there (certainly among the "classics" - weed, coke, amphetamine, heroin, etc).

Re. Cocaine never being a cause for concern until early 1914 - I sincerely meant it in the context of it becoming a mainstream media, and eventually, a political issue as well, which I didn't make clear at all, so again, my mistake.

I don't dispute Cocaine's propensity or potential for cardiotoxicity, nor its reputation as a habit forming drug, as I have unfortunately confirmed for myself the hard way many years ago after an especially reckless night of binging on it, leading to an overdose and emergency trip to the local ER.

Thankfully, I was able to recover with no apparent long term damage to any vital organs, but from that point onwards, I learned to respect and to fear it, for it is a very potent stimulant - particularly when it comes to the strain I felt on my cardiovascular system whenever under the influence. And of course, it was also painfully clear that I seriously needed to get my shit together in relation to knowing/accepting when enough is enough, lest I possibly die a potentially unpleasant death at a young age, but I digress.

Coke is a whole pile of bad news for the cardiovascular system (Just look at the ER stats.), and nothing you do to the drug, even legalizing it, will change that.

I contend that this is a little extreme; that strictly regulated, pharmaceutical purity Coke will allow its consumers to reduce the chances of potential cardiovascular damage (and/or other short and long term risks) if they know exactly what dosages they are consuming every time, rather than resorting to 'eyeballing' their Cocaine (with a frequently fluctuating purity level). And although it may not directly contribute to cardiovascular damage, Levamisole-free Cocaine would reduce ER admissions for acute/sudden cases of Agranulocytosis and Neutropenia (and/or possible complications arising from either of them).

Still, I think I'm done for good with Cocaine - even if it was legalized for recreational use. Although none of them are risk free, I feel there are better/safer drugs available to stimulate myself with if I feel the need to. 'Blow's' half-life is just too short, and in my case at least, it heavily contributed to the habitual use of the drug.

Perhaps I'd be up for trying to chew on the leaves of the Erythroxylum Coca plant, as do the natives in Bolivia and the surrounding area - reportedly without fear of prosecution. Or, in the very unlikely event that Coca Cola would bring back their "Classic" recipe, I'd drink a can or bottle, but I'm nearly certain that I'm not going to be picking up anymore of the shimmering-white powder to snort or inject. Shit I can still smell it after all these years.

 

[casual1]

Any news regarding Peter Gardner?

 

[poledriver]

Accused Kiwi drug smuggler Peter Gardner's fate delayed

The New Zealand man accused of smuggling 30kg of methamphetamine out of China may have to wait longer than thought to learn his fate.

Peter Gardner, 25, has been detained in Guangzhou, China, since his arrest on November 8.

Today marks his 37th day in detention, generally recognised as the longest amount of time Chinese authorities can keep a person without releasing or charging them.

But New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mfat) suggested it may be premature to suggest today was "D-Day" for Gardner.

"People seem very fixated on this 37 day thing. I don't know if that's quite accurate in its timing," an Mfat spokesman said this morning.

Police in China have been known to extend a detention period by starting an investigation into a new offence.


It is also possible Gardner has already been charged and authorities have not yet made a public announcement.

Mfat said a diplomat had visited Gardner in detention.

Chinese authorities alleged Gardner tried smuggling 30kg of methamphetamine, out of China.

If found guilty, New Zealand-born Gardner, who lived in Sydney, could face 15 years to life in jail or the death penalty.

Gardner's father Russell Gardner told the Herald on Sunday his son was "doing okay" despite possibly facing death by firing squad.

"We're managing, we're pulling together. We're still a close family. The Chinese are treating him okay."

Russell Gardner said his son had never been in serious trouble before, but didn't want to speculate on his guilt.

Guangzhou Customs told the Sydney Morning Herald Peter Gardner was the owner of two drug-filled bags, the zippers of which were sealed with super glue.

Guangzhou Customs alleged that when the bags were opened, officials found 60 vacuum-sealed bags containing 30kg of meth.

It was reportedly the largest single haul of ice headed overseas Guangzhou Customs ever seized.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11374356

 

[poledriver]

Kalynda Davis' life back to normal after China jail ordeal

Kalynda Davis is settling back into life in Sydney after spending a month in jail in China at the end of last year before being cleared of any wrongdoing.

Australian Peter Gardner continues to languish in a Chinese jail as his travel companion settles back into life in Sydney's western suburbs after an extraordinary drug-smuggling ordeal.

Kalynda Davis, who made international headlines when she was stopped at Guangzhou airport following the discovery of 30 kilograms of ice in luggage, has spent summer recovering from the ordeal with trips to the beach and new photos showing off the short bob haircut forced upon her while in jail.

Her friend and travel partner, Mr Gardner, 25, is approaching his third month in a Guangzhou detention centre without being charged.

Chinese authorities have stopped commenting on his case and his family, from Richmond in Sydney's north-west, declined to talk.

The dual citizen travelled on his New Zealand passport and the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Friday it was still providing consular assistance and checking on his wellbeing.

"Mr Gardner remains in custody and has legal representation," a MFAT spokesman said. "The ministry cannot comment on the ongoing investigation or intervene in the judicial proceedings of another country."

Ms Davis' lawyer, Paul Blunt, said she would not be talking publicly about her ordeal. He had heard nothing about Mr Gardner's progress in the complex Chinese justice system.

After returning to her Glenmore Park home with father, Larry, and mother, Jenny, the 22-year-old has celebrated with friends, hit the beach and returned to work at an insurance company.

Her Facebook page, which was quickly shut down when she was arrested along with all other online traces of her, has been filled with happy snaps and discussion of how best to embrace her new hairstyle.

Her best friend, Dan Stella, said it had been like "winning the lotto" to be able to spend a day at a Newcastle beach with Ms Davis this month, to which she replied: "makes each time we spent together so much more special".

Ms Davis and Mr Gardner made a last-minute trip to China on November 5 before a planned holiday to New Zealand. When she didn't return to Sydney after the three-day trip to Guangzhou, her family filed a missing persons report.

Days later, they were horrified to discover she had been detained after customs pulled her and Mr Gardner aside at the airport and found 60 vacuum-sealed bags of methylamphetamine in two pieces of luggage with the zips super-glued shut.

After four weeks in a jail cell, she was suddenly released in December. Officials said they were satisfied she had no knowledge of Mr Gardner's alleged enterprise.

Her father said she was shackled in a small cell, not allowed any contact with the outside world and had her long, blonde hair cropped.

Customs officials allege that Mr Gardner, a builder, was the owner of the luggage but they are yet to lay charges.

International law expert Kevin Boreham, of Australian National University, said it was not necessarily a bad sign that he was reaching three months in custody.

"It is wrong by our standards and by human rights standards but it's not unusual for China," he said. "You're dealing with a country that makes up the rules as they go along and is not transparent."

He said it was wise to keep the case ticking along quietly, unlike the cases of Schapelle Corby and Peter Greste, which were accompanied by vocal public campaigns.

"The systems in Indonesia and Egypt are more porous but in China you're dealing with a closed system where officials aren't accountable ... so they could well have been advised not to antagonise the Chinese."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/kalynda-d...-after-china-jail-ordeal-20150124-12xcc4.html

 

[LSDMDMA&AMP]

While I appreciate what you're saying, meth is not available for prescription in crystalline form.
Ie to smoke.
Meth is meth is meth, but purity, dosage, ROA and cultural (that is to say addictive/binging) practices make a huge differences I the harm associated with the drug's notoriety for harm.
A few mg of methamphetamine in tablet form (taken as prescribed) is just not the as pure shard vaped or injected.

Chemicals in and of themselves are not 'evil' or 'bad' - it is the way humans use those drugs and what effects manifest in those circumstances.
Like taking a 5mg oxycodone orally, compared to preparing 160mg of the same drug for intravenous injection.
Not the best analogy, but plenty of drugs are safe and acceptable to use in medically approved dosages and routes I administration.

If anything it is prohibition that had lead to an escalation in meth's danger by halting it's use as a prescription drug in weak doses in tablet form (in the 50s to early 60s) to the extremely pure clandestine crystalline meth as we know it today.
Of course strong psychostimulants are dangerous.
But so are most of the drugs approved by the Goverment and pharmaceutical companies, come to think of it.
Therein lies one of the bleakest hypocrisies of all.

Nah
google methedrine vials
methamphetamine addiction due to nonprescription use being a very big problem socially after speed took over the haight.
They were using methedrine vials. Pharmaceutical meth prepared for injection in vials
it wasnt until california banned injectable methamphetamine products that illicit meth appeared as a street drug "crystal methedrine" was the original name for street meth

 

[ro4eva]

it wasnt until california banned injectable methamphetamine products that illicit meth appeared as a street drug "crystal methedrine" was the original name for street meth

Interesting nomenclature for street meth (the 'methedrine' part) but makes sense considering the main precursor.

 

[poledriver]

Sydney man's death penalty drug case fast-tracked in China

A Sydney man detained in China on suspicion of smuggling drugs has had his death penalty case pushed forward six months.

Peter Gardner, 25, was arrested last November in Guangzhou, where local police claim he tried to smuggle 40kg of methamphetamines out of China.

After several months in detention, Gardner will now face trial on May 7, News.com.au reports.

His lawyer, Craig Tuck, said the reason the trial has been brought forward is unknown.

Gardner could face death by firing squad if found guilty.

At least a dozen foreigners have been executed in China in the past 15 years, according to Amnesty International.

In China's legal system, once cases like Gardener's pass to the courts, conviction rates reportedly are 99 percent.

Gardner's travelling partner, Sydney woman Kalynda Davis, 22, was released without charge in December after a month in custody.

The pair apparently met on an online dating site, just weeks before the arrest, and arranged to travel to Guangzhou, in China's southern region, for three days.

The pair was on their way home on November 8 when they were stopped at airport security screening after checks revealed something unusual inside Gardner's bags.

A search allegedly revealed the drugs concealed within 60 vacuum-sealed bags inside two cases.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/world/2015/...as-drug-case-fast-tracked#Wx0GKFc5pJUSSZFX.99

 

[poledriver]

Peter Gardner faces death penalty for trafficking drug ‘ice’

AUSTRALIAN Peter Gardner could be handed the death penalty by a Chinese court today for allegedly trafficking a record volume of the drug ice.

The 25-year-old is expected to plead not guilty in a case that will be heard by three judges in a small Guangzhou courtroom, holding just two dozen people.

His defence will be conducted by Chinese lawyers in a system which has a conviction rate of more than 99 per cent.

Under Chinese law, smuggling more than 50 grams of ice is punishable by a 15-year prison term, life imprisonment or the death sentence.

LUGGAGE DRUG BUST

Gardner, from Sydney, is accused of trying to move 30.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, or ice, in 60 vacuum sealed bags in checked-in luggage, from China to Australia on November 8 last year, two days after arriving in China.

He was detained at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport alongside travel companion Kalynda Davis, of Sydney, who was sensationally released a month later, after being cleared of having any involvement with the cargo in question.

A dual Australian-New Zealand citizen, Gardner has been held in a crowded detention centre with mainly Chinese prisoners for six months and allowed only one consular visit and one family visit per month.

‘SWIFT’ JUSTICE

Traditionally the sentence on such serious charges is not announced on the same day as the trial but recent cases have set worrying precedents.

In March, a Guangzhou court sentenced Gao Chaoneng to death on the day of his trial after he was convicted on charges of trafficking 28kg of ice, the previous record before Gardner’s case.

In Guangdong province, where Guangzhou is the capital, the death penalty is now carried out by lethal injection.

“If he is convicted he will have 10 days to launch an appeal,” Chen Yong, partner of Guangzhou Baijian Law Firm told News Corp Australia.

Gardner’s New Zealand lawyer Craig Tuck said he was not expecting the case to run more

than two days but Chinese lawyers said that such cases could run as short as half a day.

Gardner’s family and lawyers we given just two weeks warning that his trial would be fast tracked after previously believing that they had several months to prepare for the trial.

FAMILY IN THE DARK

His father and two sisters live in the western Sydney suburb of Richmond while his mother lives in New Zealand.

“We have not been given any reason why,” Mr Tuck said.

But Mr Chen said that “drug trafficking cases have usually been fast tracked even with foreigners involved since such cases have clear evidence, and few legal disputes.”

The Australian government would not comment on the case which is being handled by New Zealand officials, as Gardner travelled to China on his New Zealand passport.

News Corp has learned that the number of Australians now in detention, facing charges or serving time in Chinese prisons had soared in just four years.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated that, in June 2011, there were 25 Australian citizens serving prison sentences in China and ten Australian citizens in detention but that number has climbed to 70 who are in the system today, including eight waiting to face drug charges, according to DFAT sources.

http://www.news.com.au/national/pet...ficking-drug-ice/story-fncynjr2-1227339404047

 

[SixBuckets]

Oh wow - this woman's a friend of a friend. I hadn't read all this media about her.

Thanks for posting it.

 

[poledriver]

No worries.

Australian man Peter Gardner faces Chinese court over alleged ice trafficking

AN ACCUSED drug trafficker claims he travelled to China to collect what he thought was muscle-building supplements and didn’t check the packages before trying to depart.

Authorities have charged Peter Gardner, a dual Australian-New Zealand national, with trying to smuggle more than 30.2 kilograms of methamphetamine out of China, which carries a possible death penalty.

His lawyer, Zhang Jie, said Gardner, was tricked into being an accomplice in a smuggling scheme, and that he had never touched any of the methamphetamines that were seized by customs officials at Guangzhou Baiyun airport on November 8.

Gardner, who faces the death penalty, begged a Chinese court for mercy at the end of a lightening one-day trial. He said he thought the packages — which he claimed not to have opened — contained performance enhancing peptides, not $18m worth of meth.

At the end of the trial, he said he “accepted the facts” admitting to the court he had done something wrong and had attempted to move “objects” but said he was not guilty of trafficking ice.

“I’m really sorry, I really regret it ... I have broken the law and there’s no getting out of it,” he said.

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/national/aus...-ice-trafficking/story-fncynjr2-1227343178742

 

[poledriver]

‘No-one deserves to be executed’: Peter Gardner’s parents plead for his life

THE parents of Sydney man Peter Gardner have spoken of their fears he will be executed by a Chinese firing squad, simply because he was tricked.

Gardner, 26, was arrested last November in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, when Chinese customs staff allegedly found 30 kilograms of methamphetamine in a luggage scan.

His girlfriend, Australian Kalynda Davis, was freed and allowed to return home to Australia, but Gardner could yet be put to death.

His parents, Russell Gardner and Sandy Cornelius, told New Zealand television show 3D last night their son was fooled into being a drug mule and didn’t deserve to pay with his life.

“No-one really deserves to die like that. No-one deserves to be executed,’ Mr Gardner said.

Mr Gardner is a Sydney resident but was born in New Zealand and was travelling on a Kiwi passport, meaning authorities there are handling his case.

The parents told 3D their son got involved with a gang through links he had in the bodybuilding world.

He had previously smuggled peptides from China into Australia but is believed to have gotten into debt with the gang and not even a $30,000 loan from his father could help.

He confessed to his parents there had been threats made to kill him, and assured them he wouldn’t do it again.

But last November he made another trip. Only this, the package he was allegedly given to carry back to Sydney didn’t contain peptides, but something more sinister.

Worth $18 million, the meth found in Gardner’s bags was the biggest single haul of the drug seized at the airport.

His lawyer says he was duped.

New Zealand barrister Craig Tuck told 3D there was strong evidence gang members had Gardner “under the hammer” and had pressured him into the drug run.

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...ead-for-his-life/story-fnq2o7dd-1227377881538

 

[poledriver]

Drug trafficker Peter Gardner, 26, who was arrested in China with Tinder date Kalynda Davis is set to learn if he will face death by firing squad for massive 30kg meth haul

Sydney man Peter Gardner faces execution in China for drugs
The former building worker will soon learn if he will get the death penalty
Drug smugglers face the firing squad for more than 50g of heroin or ice
Gardner was carrying a massive 30kg of ice in superglued suitcases
The 26-year-old told a Chinese court he thought he was carrying steroids
Gardner flew to China last year with Sydney girl Kalynda Davis, 22
After secret negotiations Ms Davis was freed and flew home in 2014

Sydney construction worker Peter Gardner will soon learn if he is to face death by firing squad for trying to smuggle $25 million of methamphetamine in suitcases through Guangzhou Airport in China.
Gardner, 26, has been in a Chinese prison since he was arrested in November 2014 trying to board a flight to Australia with his then girlfriend, 22-year-old Sydney woman Kalynda Davis.

The pair, who had met via the dating app Tinder, were arrested after airport officials found 30kg of 'ice' packed in 60 ziplock bags inside two suitcases which had been superglued shut.

Last year, Mr Gardner faced trial where he pleaded not guilty to smuggling ice. He is due to hear the verdict and his sentence in April, Fairfax News reported.
A court in Guangzhou, southern China hear he thought the suitcases contained peptides, which are legal, but prosecutors said that his DNA had been found on the packaging around the drugs

Mr Gardner and Ms Davis made international headlines after her father, former NSW police officer Larry Davis, flew to Guangzhou and with the help of Australian Foreign Affairs minister Julie Bishop, managed to secure his daughter's release.
Strictly confidential diplomatic talks convinced Chinese officials that Kalynda Davis had known nothing about the suitcase contents and saved her from the possible death penalty.

Ms Davis, who had been held in Guangzhou women's detention centre where she was shackled and had her long blonde hair cut into a prison bob, was freed and and returned home to Sydney with her father on December 9, 2014.
Consular efforts on behalf of Mr Gardner, who had lived in Sydney for 18 years but was still a New Zealand citizen, were unsuccessful.

Death by firing squad is the fate drug traffickers face if they attempt to smuggle more than 50g of heroin or methamphetamine, as China cracks down on its drug problem.
The 30kg of methamphetamine found in Mr Gardner's suitcases was the largest single haul of ice headed overseas ever seized by Guangzhou customs.
Mr Gardner told a Chinese court during that trial he had believed he was carrying steroids, which were legal.

A panel of three judges heard that he had previously made a journey in September 2014 to bring back the legal, performance-enhancing peptides.
He returned in November with Ms Davis after the pair had travelled to New Zealand and then flown to Guangzhou where they spent three days in the city before boarding the flight to Sydney.
He said he had paid his supplier around $13,000 for a peptides and tanning agents which were popular among Sydney football players and bodybuilders.

Gardner told the court he was assured by an Australian man named 'James' that the packages contained steroids.
Gardner said the man told him to go to Guangzhou's Hilton Hotel where he was to be greeted by two Chinese men.

The men dropped off the two black suitcases containing the drugs at the hotel where Gardner and Davis were staying, just hours before their flight home.
Each bag was zipped shut and sealed with superglue, which meant Mr Gardner hadn't checked the contents, but he was unconcerned.

'It should have been peptides,' he said. 'I was stupid. I thought it was so easy. I got ahead of myself,' a tearful Mr Gardner told the hearing which was attended by his parents, Russell Gardner and Sandra Cornelius.
Prosecutors rejected his argument, saying it was 'against common sense' that Gardner would not check the bags for his goods having spent the money he claimed.

Further, his DNA was found on the packaging around the methamphetamine. Gardner's lawyer Richard Zhang said customs officials had contaminated the evidence.
'I'm really sorry, I really regret it... I have broken the law and there's no getting out of it,' Mr Gardner said.

CONT -

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rn-face-death-firing-squad.html#ixzz44ALcwtTX

 

[neversickanymore]

Yaeh.. China.. you flood the world with research chemicals, but decide to hide behind your shame by putting this man to death.

 

[Mysterie]

wth china, he obviously thought he was carrying legal peptides in his superglued suitcases..

 

[mkozlov]

He had previously smuggled peptides from China into Australia but is believed to have gotten into debt with the gang and not even a $30,000 loan from his father could help. He confessed to his parents there had been threats made to kill him, and assured them he wouldn’t do it again.

He must have known that what he was doing was illegal to some extent. Why else would they need someone to personally escort the goods? That said, if he really was in debt to some gang and not complicit then I really feel sorry for the bloke. Being murdered by some gang or by the Chinese government isn't much of choice.

Anyway, whether he was in on it or not - fuck prohibition and fuck the death penalty.