Pakistani tried for possessing heroin<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A prosecutor asked Central Jakarta District
\nCourt yesterday to sentence a Pakistani man to 18 months in jail
\nand order him to pay Rp 1.5 million (US$157) for possessing 450
\ngrams of heroin.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Djoko Isworo said the defendant, Muhammad Rafiq
\nChoudry, 36, had violated Article 23 (3) of Law No. 9\/1976 on
\nnarcotics. The law carries a maximum term of 10 years
\nimprisonment and Rp 15 million fine.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant has destroyed the country's efforts to ease
\ndrug trafficking. He had also made complicated statements during
\nthe trial.\"<\/p>\n
Djoko said police arrested Rafiq and his brother Muhammad
\nSyafiq Choudry, 39 -- who owned the heroin -- on June 17 in Wisma
\nBintang hotel in Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The men were involved in a drug deal with a buyer, Jefri, who
\nhad agreed to pay Rp 40 million for the heroin, he said. Jefri
\nmanaged to escape.<\/p>\n
He said Syafiq had been told by his Pakistani friend Ali
\nLiquat, 35, that Jefri wanted to buy the heroin, which Syafiq had
\nbought from a fellow compatriot, Tahir.<\/p>\n
Rafiq earlier denied that he and his brother purchased the
\nheroin, saying the drugs belonged to Tahir.<\/p>\n
\"Tahir told me to look after a plastic bag,\" he said. \"We had
\nasked Tahir to process our passports.\"<\/p>\n
The defendant claimed he only learned there was heroin in the
\nbag when he was questioned at Jakarta Police Headquarters.<\/p>\n
Syafiq was sentenced to three and a half years in jail for
\ntrafficking and Ali to eight and a half months for not reporting
\nthe deal.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Pieter Purba adjourned the trial until Tuesday
\nto hear the defendant's plea. (jun)<\/p>",
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