Officers blame equipment for failure to arrest Brazilian<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
The Soekarno-Hatta International Airport customs and excise put
\nthe blame on a lack of security facilities for their failure to
\narrest Brazilian paraglider Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira, who
\nattempted to smuggle 13.7 kilograms of cocaine into the country.<\/p>\n
Head of the Customs and Excise Office at the airport Jusuf
\nHindarto told the press on Tuesday that the lack of security
\nfacilities and an unorganized flight schedule hindered his
\nofficers in monitoring arriving and departing passengers.<\/p>\n
\"We have submitted our request to PT Angkasa Pura, the airport
\nmanagement, for security cameras in certain corners of the
\nairport since 2001. We still haven't received the equipment,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The mixed domestic and foreign flights added to the
\ndifficulties in monitoring the passengers.<\/p>\n
\"It's very difficult for our officers to monitor passengers at
\npeak hours, during which many of them arrive or depart,\" Jusuf
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
PT Angkasa Pura spokesman Sjahrial Sjam said that Moreira fled
\nthe officers when he was still at the customs and excise
\ncheckpoint.<\/p>\n
Sjahrial admitted that the mixed flight at Terminal II only
\nflew the Denpasar route on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
\nand Sunday between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
Moreira arrived at the airport on Saturday afternoon aboard a
\nKLM airlines flight at 5:15 p.m. It was his third visit to
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
He appeared nervous when his seven bags and two paraglider
\nbars passed through the X-ray machine. When he was asked to show
\nhis passport, Moreira fled the scene and back into the terminal.<\/p>\n
Officers could not track him down inside the airport, as many
\npassengers had just disembarked from a Garuda flight.<\/p>\n
Since nothing looked suspicious on the X-ray machine, the
\nofficers decided to cut the bars and found 19 plastic bags of
\nwhite powder, which they initially thought was heroin, but was
\nlater confirmed to be cocaine.<\/p>\n
The customs and excise officers have closed down access to all
\nairports and seaports in the country in an effort to find
\nMoreira, who is still at large.<\/p>\n
Jusuf said that Moreira was not only a courier, but that he
\nwas part of an international drug syndicate.<\/p>\n
\"He's a Brazilian athlete,\" he said, showing Moreira's picture
\nin a Brazilian newspaper.<\/p>\n
\"Looking at his belongings, it's impossible that he came
\nalone. Somebody would have picked him up on arrival.\"<\/p>\n
If Moreira is caught, he will be charged under Law No. 22\/1997
\non narcotics, which carries a maximum death penalty.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/officers-blame-equipment-for-failure-to-arrest-brazilian-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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