S'porean nabbed with Ecstasy pills<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A Singaporean man was arrested Wednesday for
\nallegedly trying to smuggle 14,840 Ecstasy pills worth about Rp
\n667 million (US$267,120) into the country through Soekarno-Hatta
\nInternational Airport.<\/p>\n
Head of the airport's Customs Inspection Office's
\ninvestigation unit Agus Wisnu said yesterday the man could be
\ncharged under Article 61 of the 1997 Psychotropic Law Number 5 on
\nimporting and exporting drugs.<\/p>\n
"If found guilty, he could face a maximum 10 years in jail and
\na Rp 300 million fine," Agus said.<\/p>\n
The airport's Customs Inspection Office head Nisfu Chasbullah
\nsaid the Singaporean, identified only as YWM, 35, was carrying a
\nnew type of Ecstasy pill.<\/p>\n
Nisfu said chemical tests showed that the pills contained a
\nhigh level, more than 20 percent, of Metilendiokside
\nTrimetoksifenetilamina (MDMA).<\/p>\n
"The 1997 Psychotropic Law rules that with such a high MDMA
\ncontent, the pills are first grade (most potential to cause
\ndependency) drugs," he said.<\/p>\n
He said the man refused at first to allow customs officers' to
\ncheck his bag, which he had taken into the aircraft cabin with
\nhim, when he arrived at the airport at about 6 p.m. Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The man arrived on Thai Airways flight number TG-413 from
\nBangkok via Singapore to Jakarta, Nisfu said.<\/p>\n
The man threatened to report the officers to the police if
\ntheir examination damaged his bag, Nisfu said.<\/p>\n
But he gave in when the officers found a plastic box
\ncontaining the pills hidden at the bottom of his canvas bag,
\nNisfu said.<\/p>\n
The man probably brought the drugs from France or the
\nNetherlands, Nisfu said.<\/p>\n
"He flew from France and made a stop over in Bangkok,
\nThailand, before arriving in Jakarta."<\/p>\n
He said the man refused to answer some of their questions --
\nsuch as who owned the drugs, who his distributors were overseas
\nand who his local buyers were.<\/p>\n
The man said it was his first visit to Indonesia and first
\nattempt to smuggle drugs, Nisfu said.<\/p>\n
He said the man would be handed over to the National Police
\nfor further investigation.<\/p>\n
He said the airport's customs office had foiled 23 drug
\nsmuggling attempts, and seized over 250,000 Ecstasy pills, three
\nkilograms of Hashish and 320 grams of morphine this year. (cst)<\/p>",
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