China: Customs officials believe Gardner involved in large drug-smuggling plot

Kalynda Davis and Peter Gardner

Kiwi builder Peter Gardner's chances of avoiding the death penalty in China have rapidly deteriorated with local customs officials revealing that they believe he was the owner of 2 pieces of luggage stuffed with 30 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Today marks D-Day for the 25-year-old as it is his 37th day in detention, the longest Chinese authorities can keep a person without releasing them or charging them.

However, shocking details provided to The Sun-Herald newspaper indicate that customs officials believe Gardner was involved in a drug-smuggling plot and his Australian travelling partner, 22-year-old Kalynda Davis, had no knowledge or involvement.

Guangzhou Customs said that Gardner, a NZ-Australian dual national from Sydney's north-west, was the owner of 2 drug-filled bags checked in to Flight CZ325 from Guangzhou to Sydney.

The zippers were sealed with super glue and, when they were prised open in an interrogation room at Baiyun Airport, officials said they found 60 vacuum-sealed bags of suspicious particles, later proven to be 30kg of the drug - the largest single haul of meth headed overseas ever seized by Guangzhou customs.

Guangzhou Customs also revealed it had caught another Australian national attempting to smuggle drugs out of China just this month - the 11th Australian caught in similar circumstances this year - underlining the thriving drug trade between southern China and Australia.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is understood to be providing ongoing consular assistance to as many as nine Australians on serious drug charges in China, some of whom are potentially facing the death penalty.

Gardner and Davis, who booked tickets to travel to Guangzhou for just 3 days, were pulled aside at 9.55pm on November 8 after officials detected irregularities with two pieces of luggage they checked in.

In a move that has raised many unanswered questions, Davis was abruptly released 30 days later and returned home to Sydney this week with her elated parents Larry and Jenny.

"After investigation, it was discovered that this drug trafficking was operated by (Gardiner)," Guangzhou Customs said.

"There was no evidence that shows (Davis) had any subjective intention to take part in this drug trafficking crime and she has been released back to Australia now."

Under Chinese law, police can detain those suspected of serious crimes for 30 days without charge, after which prosecutors can decide within seven days whether to indict.

Gardner's family have not flown to China and he remains in a Guangzhou detention centre awaiting his fate. They declined to comment on the case.

Former school friends described Gardner as a gentle, friendly guy. He has an unblemished criminal record in New South Wales apart from a drink driving charge.

"He is a really great guy, really caring, nice and softly spoken, I guess he just got tangled in a bad way of life," said one friend from Richmond High School.

"Every time I talked to him he was always genuine and never seemed like he would get involved in that."

A qualified builder, Gardner was born in New Zealand but grew up in Sydney. The New Zealand government has taken charge of his case, indicating that he entered China on his New Zealand passport.

A spokeswoman for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they had visited Gardner in the detention centre to provide consular advice and check on his wellbeing.

"He remains in custody and has legal representation," the spokeswoman said.

"The Ministry cannot comment on the ongoing investigation or interfere in the judicial proceedings of another country."

Source: Fairfax News, December 14, 2014

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