Why were the couple detained?

An Australian couple detained in Laos on allegations of gem theft was sentenced this week to seven years each in jail. Australian diplomats say the couple, Kerry and Kay Danes, were handed the sentences by a three-judge panel at a court in Vientiane. They also were ordered to pay more than 65,000 dollars in fines. The Daneses have been in custody for more than six months. They were accused of being involved in the disappearance of 6.2 million dollars worth of sapphires from Gem Mining Lao, the communist-ruled country’ s biggest gem mining operation. Kerry Danes was in charge of security at the firm while on leave from the Australian army. His wife was arrested trying to cross the border into Thailand with more than 50,000 dollars in cash. The couple deny any wrongdoing.