81 year old in wheelchair charged with smuggling ecstasy

drudge report ^ | today

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

81-year-old woman charged in Miami with smuggling ecstasy


Posted: February 21, 2002 9:21 PM

MIAMI (AP) -- An 81-year-old woman who arrived in court Thursday in a wheelchair plotted to smuggle 9,931 doses of ecstasy in her luggage on a flight from London, authorities charged.

Stella Carla Bonanomi Michetti spoke to U.S. Magistrate Judge Ted Bandstra through an Italian interpreter as he accepted an agreement between lawyers setting bail for her and a companion at $250,000 each.

Attorneys were appointed for Michetti and Hans Hirschi, 56, who said he owned a failed restaurant in the Dominican Republic.

He told customs inspectors when they arrived Wednesday on a British Airways flight that they were traveling together.

Tablets of the party drug were found wrapped around books in their bags, Customs Service agent Alicia Vereen wrote in a criminal complaint against them. Hirschi's bag held 5,630 tablets for a combined weight of nearly 7 pounds.

In response to questions to determine whether she could hire her own attorney, Michetti said she owns two rental houses "until I die" in Italy but had no estimate of their value.

Hirschi, who listened to the hearing through a German interpreter, said he had about $1,400 in a U.S. account but virtually nothing besides a pickup truck in the Dominican Republic.

Elderly drug couriers are relatively rare. A 72-year-old tailor from New York was charged last March with bringing 61,691 ecstasy tablets with him on a flight from Paris to Miami.

(Copyright 2002 by the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

[Joe Bonforte]

Another vicious, dangerous drug dealer brought to justice. Execution is too good for her, that's what I say. {/sarcasm}

[Britton J Wingfield]

Crucify her!

Oh, and release Barabbas while yer at it.

[BansheeBill]

I do believe that this thread needs some Little Feat lyrics:

Old Folks Boogie -- Paul Barrere, Gabriel Paul Barrere

Off our rockers, actin' crazy
With the right medication we won't be lazy
Doin' the old folks boogie
Down on the farm
Wheelchairs, they was locked arm in arm

Paired off pacemakers with matchin' alarms
Gives us jus' one more chance
To spin one more yarn

And you know that you're over the hill
When your mind makes a promise that your body can't fill
Doin' the old folks boogie
And boogie we will
'Cause to us the thought's as good as a thrill

[wheezer]

Don't forget the Yeshiva Students for many of whom smuggling Ecstasy is somewhat of a rite of passage.

[wheezer]

Thanks. I am aware. Just making sure that the FR public makes a connection to this little charade that is being covered up by our illustrious media. ;')

Saw a discussion on O'Reilly a couple of weeks back where Bill kept saying that the ecstasy smuggling was all being done by "middle easterners"......he had that mischeivous look in his eye that told me he knew the score as well.

[blau993]

Maybe it was for her personal use.

[Wolfie]

The glow sticks in her spokes gave her away.

[RichInOC]

THE COURT: Signora Michetti, will you please come to order....
Sra. MICHETTI: ACEED! ACEEEEEEEED!!!