Irishman faces Indian courts after drug arrest

AN IRISHMAN is facing the prospect of spending the next decade in an Indian prison after police arrested him for being in possession of drugs.

The man was stopped on the platform of a train station in the west coast city of Pune, the seventh largest city in India, and found to be carrying a kilogram of hashish, an air pistol, a mobile phone and an Irish passport.

Yesterday the Times of India gave the man’s name as Pfingsten Thomas, 45, who had been living in Goa for two years.

The Irish embassy in India is investigating the arrest although he is not believed to have made any direct contact.

Yesterday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it would be looking into the matter.

However, because of the five-and-a-half hour time difference it did not expect to establish the full details behind the reports until today.

Mr Thomas was reportedly drunk when he was arrested and was first approached because there was a strange smell coming from his bag.

The value of the drugs was €860, however, Indian drugs’ law sees little difference in its treatment of the likes of hashish and cocaine or heroin.

Under Indian law, drugs offences are punishable with sentences of up to 10 years without the possibility of a plea bargain.

Mr Thomas has appeared before the courts, which are set up in the same way as our district courts, and has been remanded until December 7.

He can then be held for up to 60 days if the police request more time and the judge agrees.

In another case, Patrick Malluzzo, aged 30, spent two-and-a-half years in jail before his case reached court.

Englishman Malluzzo was convicted in July 2006 for having 19kg of cannabis and sentenced to 10 years in jail.

He remains in prison despite the public appeal.