Phnom Penh - A Cambodian court on Thursday sentenced a Danish woman to 15 years in prison for trying to smuggle thousands of codeine tablets out of the country by mail.

Axelexen Johanne Vinther, 45, was arrested at a post office in Phnom Penh in April last year when she tried to mail more than 10,000 codeine tablets to Canada and the United States.

The court's three judges also sentenced her son - who was meant to receive the drugs and whose whereabouts is unknown - to the same 15-year prison term.

Both were ordered to pay a 7,500-US-dollar fine.

Codeine is available without prescription in pharmacies throughout Cambodia but is a controlled substance in many countries. (dpa)