10 January 2003

Media Release

DEATH PENALTY HIGHLIGHTS RISKS TO VIETNAMESE-AUSTRALIANS OF DRUG SMUGGLING

Fairfield's only Vietnamese-speaking councillor Thang Ngo said the death penalty imposed on several Vietnamese-Australians should serve as a severe warning to those who think they can get rich quickly by smuggling drugs.

Cr Ngo said some Vietnamese-Australians wrongly believed once they have Australian citizenship, they would be subjected to Australian law, even though they may commit the offence in Vietnam.

Australian law does not impose capital punishment.

There are reports of at least 8 Vietnamese-Australians detained in Vietnam on drug charges.

Cr Ngo also encouraged those who think they can get rich quickly through smuggling drugs to consider the irreversible damage that drugs have on users, especially on youth users and on the image of the Vietnamese-Australian community as a whole.

"Drug smuggling is an evil act of greed and smugglers and drug lords are nothing short of scums of the earth who profit from other people's suffering" said Cr Ngo.

Cr Ngo also urged the Vietnamese-Australian community to speak up and 'dob in' and drug dealer.