Man faces 30 months in jail

TANGERANG (JP): A prosecutor asked Tangerang district court to sentence Sopan Tarigan, 36, to 30 months in jail for attempting to smuggle 25,750 Ecstasy pills and a quantity of the drug in powdered form through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Prosecutor Sity Zahara said in her indictment that the defendant was arrested by customs and excise officers on Aug. 31 last year when he collected a black bag from the airport.

Officers found the pills and powder in the bag. Sopan claimed he was asked by a man called Achmadi Surya to collect the bag and did not know what it contained, she said. Achmadi is still at large.

"Sopan said that he was paid Rp 40,000 to collect the bag and was also promised a job," Sity said.

The defendant was charged under Article 62 of Law No.5/1997 on psychotropic drugs. The article carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a fine of Rp 100 million.

Judge Jesminar Idrus adjourned the trial until next week to hear the defense lawyer's statement. (41/hhr)