Heroin cylinders pumped from Nepalese's stomach

JAKARTA (JP): City Police announced yesterday that 103 plastic cylinders of heroin weighing a total of 1.2 kilograms have been pumped from the stomach of a 26-year-old Nepalese smuggler.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto said the grade-four heroin has a local street value of approximately Rp 1 billion (US$460,000).

The smallest of the plastic cylinders, being thumb size, contained seven grams of heroin, he said.

Hindarto said that based on his identification documents the suspect is known as Basu Dev Parajuli, a resident of Jaulekan Road in Katmandu, Nepal.

"The heroin was not in capsule filled condoms as initially reported by a local daily," Hindarto said, referring to a recent report in Pos Kota which said the suspect swallowed three condoms containing heroin capsules shortly after he felt he was being observed by Soekarno-Hatta airport authorities.

Hindarto said police investigation determined the suspect swallowed the plastic cylinders at his point of departure.

One of the cylinders may have ruptured shortly after he disembarked from the plane. He was observed staggering before collapsing near the departure hall exit.

The Nepalese was then taken to the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital for treatment because airport authorities suspected he was experiencing a heart attack.

Urine sample

Police were then informed that the urine sample of the Nepalese contained traces of heroin and an X-ray showed a number of mysterious "bubbles" inside his abdomen.

The "bubbles" were then taken out during two different procedures. After an enema failed to help discharge the cylinders, the Napalese's stomach was pumped.

"The Nepalese is alright now," Hindarto said.

"Now we're hunting for his foreign partner who is still at large," he said, referring to a man identified as Jimmy, a Thai national.

It is strongly suspected that with the support of Jimmy, the Napalese successfully distributed heroin in Denpasar in July of this year.

In yesterday's meeting, Hindarto also revealed the arrest of eight local people for the possession of a total of 28 kilograms of dried marijuana with an estimated street price of Rp 50 million.

The eight suspects were nabbed during raids in five different areas, including Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta, Bekasi, Depok and Cipinang in East Jakarta. (bsr)