Narcotics up 26% in Bali this year

DENPASAR, Bali: A senior police officer announced Tuesday that illegal drug trafficking in Bali had increased by 26 percent this year, up to 76 cases from 52 cases the previous year.

The term illegal drugs refers to narcotics like heroin, marijuana and hashish and psychotropic drugs like Ecstasy.

Bali chief of police Maj. Gen. Benyamin LS Mamuaya told a year-end news meeting that in 1996 there were seven Ecstasy and 56 narcotics cases, with 84 suspects including 17 foreigners and 67 Indonesians.

Mamuaya said from the 17 Ecstasy arrests, 71,394 pills were confiscated by police. This represents an increase of 1,296 pills over the previous year, Antara reported.

Meanwhile, in the 56 narcotics arrests the police confiscated 194.4 grams of heroin, 3,499.9 grams of hashish and 1,792.3 grams of marijuana, he said.

Bali police office handled 52 narcotics cases in 1995involving 65 people comprising 59 Indonesians and six foreigners with evidence of 946.6 grams of heroin, 115.2 grams of marijuana, 110.1 grams of hashish and 485.1 grams cocaine. (01)