Two Dutch nationals on trial for Ecstasy smuggling<\/p>\n
TANGERANG, West Java (JP): Two Dutch nationals were tried in
\nthe Tangerang District Court yesterday for trying to smuggle more
\nthan 7,000 Ecstasy pills into Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Arminsyah said the Dutchmen, identified only as AMT
\n(49) and IMT (48), along with an Indonesian man, Rus (46) tried
\nto smuggle 7,136 Ecstasy pills through Soekarno-Hatta
\nInternational Airport on April 7 this year.<\/p>\n
They are the second and third Dutchmen the Tangerang District
\nCourt has tried for Ecstasy dealing.<\/p>\n
The first Dutch defendant is ATS who is being tried for
\nsmuggling 3,900 Ecstasy pills from Holland on April 9, 1996.<\/p>\n
According to Arminsyah, the 7,136 pills were brought from the
\nNetherlands by AMT on a KLM flight.<\/p>\n
The pills were stashed in eight packs which were put in a bag.
\nThe bag was then put into his boots. \"The boots were hidden in
\nhis suitcase,\" the prosecutor said.<\/p>\n
The prosecutor said Rus and IMT took the bag as AMT got off
\nthe plane. The bag was then to be taken by Rus through a special
\ngate for customs officers.<\/p>\n
\"Rus has a pass to use the gate as an official of a paper
\nfactory in Aceh,\" the indictment said.<\/p>\n
After the defendants succeeded in taking the bag containing
\nthe pills, they put the bag and other items into a trolley.
\n\"Customs and Excise officials stopped them as AMT had not yet had
\nhis passport checked. They were then ordered to have their
\nbelongings checked, the prosecutor said.<\/p>\n
Realizing the situation was dangerous, Rus escaped. He was
\ncaught on April 16.<\/p>\n
The prosecutor said the smuggling attempt was the result of a
\ndiscussion between IMT and a man identified as Maspion in
\nTangerang's Terminal One disco.<\/p>\n
Last week the Tangerang District Court sentenced a businessman
\nto eight months jail after finding him guilty of attempting to
\ntraffic more than 700 Ecstasy pills.<\/p>\n
This was the first penalty meted out by the court in an
\nEcstasy case. Six other people are in Tangerang police custody
\nawaiting trial on charges of selling and distributing the mood-
\naltering drug.<\/p>\n
Presiding Judge Mrs. Marni Emmy said before handing down the
\nverdict that Andreas Phiong alias Afon was guilty of trying to
\ntraffic 711 Ecstasy pills which he stashed in the drawer of his
\nIsuzu Panther car parked in the Soekarno-Hatta Airport compound
\non March 26.<\/p>\n
Police officers who apprehended the defendant also found Rp
\n7.5 million cash in the drawer.<\/p>\n
\"By attempting to distribute the drug which is not registered
\nwith the ministry of health, the defendant has breached the law
\nNo.25\/1992,\" Marni said.<\/p>\n
The sentence is a far cry from the maximum penalty of 15 years
\nimprisonment and a fine of up to Rp 300 million. But it was what
\nProsecutor R. Saragih demanded.<\/p>\n
The team of judges ordered the police to destroy the pills and
\nreturn the money found in the car to the defendant. The judges
\nalso ordered his car, which police impounded, to be returned to
\nthe defendant.<\/p>\n
The defendant promptly accepted the verdict and said \"No\" when
\nasked by the presiding judge if he would appeal. (28\/bas\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/two-dutch-nationals-on-trial-for-ecstasy-smuggling-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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