Juanda Customs Foils Smuggling of Methamphetamine and Ecstasy from Malaysia
A joint operation by Juanda Customs, the East Java I Regional Customs Office, and the Lanudal Juanda Security Task Force successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle Class I narcotics at Terminal 2 of Juanda International Airport on Wednesday (29/7). The illicit goods were carried by a passenger on a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Surabaya.
The enforcement action began with intensive surveillance of passengers on the Kuala Lumpur (KUL)–Surabaya (SUB) flight, which landed at 11.16 WIB. Based on a risk analysis, officers identified a male passenger with the initials DI (21) as a high-risk profile. Upon arrival in the customs area, DI was directed to the red channel for a thorough inspection. Officers’ suspicions were confirmed during a body search, where foreign objects were found concealed beneath his clothing.
A subsequent physical examination revealed the evidence. The suspect had used a body strapping method, wrapping the contraband around his stomach, chest, and back using a corset to evade detection. Preliminary tests using a Narcotics Identification Kit (NIK) and a Rigaku device confirmed the white crystals tested positive for methamphetamine and the tablets tested positive for MDMA.
The suspect, DI, along with all the evidence, has been handed over to the Lanudal Juanda Security Task Force for further investigation and to develop leads on the international narcotics network. Head of the East Java I Regional Customs Office, Rusman Hadi, stressed that this success is a tangible demonstration of the agency’s commitment to its community protector function.
“Drug smuggling attempts continue to evolve with various methods. Therefore, Customs will continue to strengthen intelligence-based supervision and risk analysis, and synergise with law enforcement officials to prevent the entry of prohibited goods that can threaten public safety,” Rusman stated in a press release received on Wednesday (5/8). This enforcement action reinforces the synergy between law enforcement agencies in securing the nation’s borders from the threat of narcotics to protect the Indonesian public from the dangers of drug abuse.