I wonder if they truely knew.
The media appears to be reporting a different side.
It does not seem logical to me to that if someone had said to them, 'here's packet of drugs smuggle it through customs' that they would actually do it. Or would they?
Especially if they know there is an associated death sentence if caught.
The media say they thought they were going to China for a job, albeit via an illegal recruiter, and were just carrying the needed company papers.