American Eliadah McCord attempted to smuggle six pounds of Heroin from Bangladesh - National Geographic channel photo   US congressman Bill Richardson interceded in her behalf and negotiated her release - Roger H. Goun from Brentwood, NH, USA photo

Video Beat - LOCKED UP ABROAD on the NAT GEO CHANNEL

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

In 1992, Eliadah McCord attempted to smuggle six pounds of Heroin from Bangladesh. In, Bangladesh, the law requires a minimum of two years in prison for possessing heroin. If found smuggling more than 25 grams (0.9 ounces), you are given either life terms or the death sentence - Recommended TV Listings

Wednesday July 14, 2010

18-Year-Old Lia McCord's Story

July appears to be the time program changes are made in Southeast Asia. Now that the World Cup is over its time to get down to business and note what changes have occurred.

For starters Locked Up Abroad (LUA) is now showing a repeat of previously aired programs for Monday through Friday two weeks at 10PM Thailand/Cambodia time or 11PM Singapore/Hong Kong on the National Geographic channel.

Prior to our World Cup coverage we saw a LUA show that was riveting. It was about Lia McCord an 18-year-old girl from Houston, Texas who had a turbulent family life at home and wanted to get away. She moved in with a girlfriend who met a guy that offered her $10,000 to traffic some drugs.

When the friend returned flashed the money and Lia was hooked. Her friend introduced her to her African contact. He offered the girl $20 thousand to traffic when at that time she found out it was heroin. She hesitated but the lure of money changed her mind. The contact gave her $1,500 spending money and she was excited.

She went to Bangladesh and was set up in a five star hotel. Later she met another African contact who wasn't friendly but scary and intimidating who moved her to a ghetto type hotel. The huge intimidating African forced her to wear a girdle to stuff to drugs. She said no but he frightened her to comply.

When she arrived at the airport she checked her bags with no trouble. When she was about to board the plane she was stopped by a female guard who informed her that her body had to be checked. The drugs were found and she was sent to jail. Her plight was that her crime could have given her the DEATH SENTENCE.

The following are notes about that program from the National Geographic website:

Eighteen-year-old lingerie model Lia McCord makes the mistake of a lifetime in Texas - and ends up imprisoned in Bangladesh.

* In 1992, Eliadah McCord attempted to smuggle six pounds of Heroin from Bangladesh. In, Bangladesh, the law requires a minimum of two years in prison for possessing heroin. If found smuggling more than 25 grams (0.9 ounces), you are given either life terms or the death sentence.

* Lia's mother found out about her sentence when a reporter called to ask for a comment in an article. At the time, her mother didn't even know she was out of town.

* Bangladesh has the highest prison population rate in South Asia; 288 percent of official capacity. The country currently has approximately 74,170 prisoners, 2.8% of which are female.

* The topography of Bangladesh, particularly its long borders with India and Burma, make it ideal for smuggling heroin and the most common methods and routes for smuggling heroin into Bangladesh are by courier from Pakistan, by commercial vehicles and trains from India, and from sea through the Bay of Bengal or overland by truck or public transport from Burma.

* Intravenous drug use is a major problem in Dhaka, Bangladesh and it is estimated that 90 per cent of users share needles.

* Eliadah was granted her release by a lower court until the Supreme Court of Bangladesh overturned the ruling.

* In August 1995, Lia's case came up before the High Court. During the judge's questioning, she was repeatedly asked whether she was 18, and not 22, but Lia states that she refused to lie, despite the fact that a change of age meant she could be released there and then.

US congressman Bill Richardson interceded in her behalf and negotiated her release with the president of Bangladesh. She was released on July 4, 1996. Following her release she graduated from college and worked for NASA. She now resides on the east coast of the United States.

This episode aired this past Monday but can be viewed on the National Geographic website:

WATCH EPISODES ONLINE

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/tv-schedule

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/locked-up-abroad/3804/Overview12#tab-lias-story

Part 2 - LOCKED UP ABROAD IN THAILAND

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TV SCHEDULE

Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia/Thailand time zone. Check our chart or your local listings for time in your area.

NOTE TIMES OF THE SAME TELECAST IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

8:00 PM - TRUE BLOOD - HBO

10:00 PM - LOCKED UP ABROAD - National Geographic

9:00 PM - NARCO STATE - National Geographic

2:00 AM - AMERICAN GREED - CNBC

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