A British mother is facing up to 20 years in a Cambodian prison after being caught attempting to leave the country with 34.5kg of cannabis in her luggage.
asserted
mother → face → luggage
Tamara Martins, from Croydon, claims she was the victim of a 'set up', after she was approached by a man in a bar who asked her to transport a suitcase full of electronics back to the UK for a fee.
uncertain
who → claim → fee
The 31-year-old claims she only found out about the drugs when she was stopped at Techo Airport, where authorities uncovered 71 packages of marijuana in her cases.
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authorities → claim → cases
Cambodia has a zero-tolerance policy for all drug offences, meaning the country treats these crimes very seriously, and people can receive life sentences for drug trafficking.
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people → have → trafficking
The Daily Mail spoke to Tamara's younger brother Trey, 29, who is now caring for Tamara's ten-year-old daughter and fighting to get his sister legal support from over 6,000 miles away.
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who → speak → miles
'I didn't even know she was in Cambodia until she called me,' he said, 'All I heard was her crying.
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her → know → me
She said, "I've been arrested.
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I → say → ?
I've been arrested."
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I → arrest → ?
She was upset, asking if I could do anything to help, and saying how sorry she was.
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she → ask → anything
'
Trey was shocked.
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Trey → shock → ?
'She's never been arrested for anything to do with drugs and she's never been involved in that sort of stuff
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she → arrest → stuff
,' he said.
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he → say → ?
Tamara Martins, 31, from Croydon, is facing up to two decades behind bars in Cambodia
Tamara is separated from her ten-year-old daughter back in London (Pictured)
Tamara was able to stay in contact with Trey for the first few days while at the tourist detention centre.
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Tamara → face → centre
'At first, she said the officers had been kind and nice to her.
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officers → say → her
They let her use her phone and smoke,' her brother said.
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brother → let → phone
The 31-year-old was then transferred to CC2 women's prison where her phone was confiscated and conditions deeply deteriorated.
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conditions → transfer → prison
In a letter written to Trey from his sister seen by the Daily Mail, Tamara said: 'It's hell in here.
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It → write → Mail
I haven't been able to sleep, eat or anything.
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I → sleep → ?
I have to try and not think so much about life at home otherwise I'll die from a broken heart...
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I → have → heart
It's really difficult and hard to to see the light at the end of the tunnel.'
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It → see → tunnel
She asked for money to be sent, writing: 'The circumstances are so bad, without money here you are in the gutter.'
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you → ask → gutter
According to Trey, his sister is unable to get proper food, clothes or sanitary products without money.
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sister → accord → money
She is reportedly being held in a cell with over 66 people, many forced to sleep on a hard floor because there are not enough bunk beds.
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many → hold → floor
She has no undergarments and had to borrow underwear from another prisoner.
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She → have → prisoner
In a report seen by the Daily Mail of a consular visit carried out by members of the British Embassy, Tamara expressed fear about sharing accommodation with inmates suffering from HIV and other illnesses.
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Tamara → see → HIV
For Tamara, who works as a model booker in London, one of the hardest parts of her predicament is being separated from her ten-year-old daughter.
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one → work → daughter
She is wondering where her mum is, Trey says, but he has not told her the truth about the situation, instead telling the child Tamara has been stuck in a blackout.
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Tamara → wonder → blackout
'She doesn't know that her mum has been arrested.
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mum → know → ?
I've told her, "Your mum's all right.
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mum → tell → her
She's doing the best she can".
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she → do → best
Trey describes his sister as a 'kind' person who will 'always be there for you'.
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who → describe → you
'My sister and I didn't always get on, but I would give my heart or my lung to her.
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I → get → her
I would swap places with her right now if I could.
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I → swap → her
I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy,' he says.
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he → wish → enemy
Tamara is now one of the 355 Brits detained in Southeast Asia after being accused of being recruited as drug mules.
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Tamara → detain → mules
Young people are lured by gangs and often incentivised to carry luggage for a fee without knowing its contents.
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people → lure → contents
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty issued a warning earlier this year of harsh treatment if detained overseas.
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Doughty → issue → treatment
Mr Doughty said: 'No holiday, payment or opportunity is worth risking your freedom, your future or your life.'
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holiday → say → freedom
He added: 'Detainees are warning about the dire living conditions they now face decades of in prison or, in some countries, the possibility of the death penalty.'
Tamara is now one of the 355 Brits detained in Southeast Asia after being recruited as drug mules
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Tamara → add → mules
Trey (pictured) is doing anything possible to get his sister legal support to try and bring her home
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Trey → picture → her
…and 14 more, not listed.
The Aporia
