Czech model challenges conviction in heroin smuggling case

LAHORE: Czech model Tereza Hluskova approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday challenging her conviction in a case pertaining to smuggling nine kilograms of heroin worth millions of rupees from Lahore to Abu Dhabi.

The convict drug pusher moved an appeal in the high court through her lawyer, requesting it to set aside the ruling of an additional district and sessions court that awarded eight-year and eight-month jail to her.

The appellant contended the trial court’s decision negated the true facts of the case.

She maintained she is innocent and that custom officials implicated her in the smuggling case. The Czech model said she had come to Pakistan for Islamic studies.

Earlier, on March 20, Additional District and Sessions Judge Shehzad Raza handed eight-year and eight-month imprisonment to the convict and imposed a fine of Rs 113,000 approximately 800 dollars on her.

In case of default in payment of the fine, she will have to face additional imprisonment.

21-year-old Tereza Hluskova was arrested in January 2018 by customs officials for attempting to smuggle heroin from Lahore to Abu Dhabi. She was heading to Ireland via Dubai.

The Czech model was in Pakistan on a three-month family visit visa. After the recovery of drug and completing investigations, Customs department had registered a case against the model and four others.