Indonesian on trial in Australia

Indonesian on trial in Australia

SYDNEY (AFP): An Indonesian man appeared in a Sydney court yesterday accused of importing 1.7 kilograms (3.7 pounds) of Ecstasy tablets concealed inside four stereo speakers.

The court heard that the estimated 8,000 tablets had a street value of more than 500,000 Australian dollars (US$395,000).

The haul was discovered by customs officials at Sydney Airport's air cargo depot on Jan. 31, the Central Local Court heard.

It was alleged Herry Budiman, 41, of Jakarta, requested delivery of the speaker boxes to himself at an exclusive hotel in the inner Sydney suburb of Potts Point.

Unaware he was under Australian Federal Police surveillance, Budiman then took the packages to another hotel in the nearby tourist mecca of Kings Cross, where he began to unpack the drugs, prosecutor Susan Doherty told the court.

"Police entered the room and found him in the process of extracting the contents of the speakers," Doherty said.

Budiman was charged with importing a prohibited drug. He denied the charges but was refused bail. He will reappear in the same court on March 12.