KUALA LUMPUR: Two Nepali youths found guilty of drug trafficking were sentenced to death by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today, after they were 'stung' in a joint operation mounted by the US drug enforcement agency (DEA) and Bukit Aman police, six years ago.

In a sting operation in 2003, Hari Bahadur Ghale, 29, and Sajan Gurung, 30, were nabbed by a team of DEA and Bukit Aman's narcotics department officers for trafficking in 875.2 grams of high-grade heroin.

The duo faced the charge of trafficking in the drug at Room 1109, Federal Hotel in Jalan Bukit Bintang about 2 pm on May 30 then.

Under Section 39B (1a) of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952, Ghale and Gurung face the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

Judicial Commissioner Azman Abdullah said the two failed to raise a reasonable doubt on the prosecution's case.

He said they were seen separately entering a lift at the hotel and later caught in the raid while negotiating with a DEA undercover officer.

Azman said the duo were fully aware of the drug which was found on a round-table in the hotel room.

He said the argument forwarded by counsels for Ghale and Gurung that the fourth prosecution witness -- a DEA agent known only as 'James' -- was not the person with both of them during the raid, was also rejected by the court.

"Other prosecution witnesses had positively identified 'James' as a DEA agent and directly involved in the sting operation," added Azman.

Counsel K A Ramu, appearing for Ghale, told the court his client entered the country as a tourist and was very remorseful for his act.

Gurung's counsel, Rajpal Singh, said his client had been working at National Panasonic in Shah Alam for two years, and was supporting his aged parents in Nepal.

After judgment was delivered and an interpreter explained the court's decision and that they could file an appeal, the two merely nodded. Deputy public prosecutor Lokman Kasim appeared for the prosecution.