KARACHI, Feb 19: Five drug smugglers, including a young South African woman and two Nigerians, were convicted on Tuesday by the special anti-narcotics court, which awarded them different terms of rigorous imprisonment.

Judge Ali nawaz Pirzada sentenced a local drug smuggler to 12-year jail for trying to smuggle out 2.5 kilograms heroin.

Mohammad Faridul Haq, arrested on April 5, last year by the customs drug enforcement officials at the Quaid-i-Azam International Airport, was also fined Rs100,000.

The judge ordered that the convict, who had concealed the contraband drug in his baggage, would have to undergo an additional one-year term in case of default on the payment.

Ms Cheryl Williamson of South Africa, arrested on January 7, this year by the customs at airport, was given a three-year term for possessing 550 grams heroin.

The woman, who had concealed the contraband drug, stuffed into 50 capsules, in her rectum, was fined Rs50,000 and she would have to undergo an additional three-month term in case of default on the payment.

Tim Nweke, one of the Nigerian drug traffickers, was sentenced to a four-year term for having 650 grams heroin concealed in his rectum.

The judge imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on the drug trafficker, who was arrested on July 3, last year by the customs at airport. He will have to undergo an additional three-month term in case of default on the payment.

His compatriot, Lubowa Robert, who was arrested on December 12, 2000 by the customs at airport, was sentenced to an 18-month term for trying to smuggle out 210 grams heroin, stuffed into 21 capsules.

The judge imposed a fine of Rs10,000 on the drug trafficker, who would have to undergo an additional three-month term in case he defaulted on the payment.

Another drug smuggler, Hafiz Ahmed, was sentenced to an eight-year term for trying to smuggle out 1.35 kg heroin. He was arrested on October 7, 1999 by the customs authorities at the airport.

The smuggler, who had hidden the heroin in his baggage, was fined Rs100,000 and he would have to undergo an additional one-year term in case of default on the payment.

Besides, the same court convicted two drug peddlers and awarded them different terms of rigorous imprisonment.

Sher Khan, arrested on May 28, 2000 by the Pirabad police, was sentenced to a 15-month term for possessing 10 grams charas.

The judge also fined him Rs5,000 and ordered that the peddler would have to undergo an additional six-month term in case of default on the payment.

The judge sentenced Abu Bakar to suffer rigorous imprisonment for four years and pay a fine of Rs50,000.

Arrested on March 11, 1999 by the excise police, the drug trafficker was also fined Rs50,000 and he would have to suffer an additional six-month term in case of default on the payment.