Nepalese caught with hashish

JAKARTA (JP): A man carrying Nepalese passport 471749 was seized by customs officials late Friday at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport for allegedly carrying 2.98 kilograms of hashish.

The head of the customs inspection office at the airport, Nisfuhasbullah, said Saturday night the hashish was in the form of seven bars each wrapped in plastic.

"They were in (the suspect's) shoe soles, his socks, waist belt, his underwear and one was on his back," the customs official said.

Yesterday the National Police Headquarters confirmed the arrest of the suspect, identified only as YBP, on Saturday at 11 p.m.

Nisfuhasbullah said officers were suspicious as the suspect looked confused and "seemed to be walking with a weight".

The head of the police headquarters information unit, Col. Bambang Haryoko, said police were investigating the possibility of a syndicate being involved.

The suspect, born in 1970 and a farmer according to his passport, had arrived by Thai Airways flight 433.

YBP told officials he was paid US$1,000 to transport the hashish. He said he was unemployed and had stayed in Bangkok for a month. Nisfuhasbullah said it was the first time in 10 years someone had been caught smuggling hashish through the airport. (04/anr)