Retrial for air steward 'smuggler'

A controversial verdict on a former flight attendant who was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being caught smuggling goods from overseas to sell in China has been remanded for retrial, Beijing News reported on Tuesday.

Li Xiaohang, 30, the former airline stewardess, bought cosmetic products from duty-free shops in South Korea and brought the items through customs as her personal belongings on several occasions from 2010 to August 2011, according to the verdict provided by the capital's No 2 Intermediate People's Court in July 2012.

The court said the woman evaded 1.13 million yuan ($178,000) in taxes, adding she was fined 500,000 yuan as well.

Li appealed to a higher court in September 2012, the report said.

Zhang Yan, Li's lawyer, told the paper on Monday that Beijing High People's Court asked the intermediate court to retry the case because of vague facts and insufficient evidence.

The lawyer said Li had no intention to smuggle and added the retrial will take place in the next three months, the report added.