Nigerian arrested with heroin worth Rp3.2b

JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested a Nigerian man at a Central Jakarta house for allegedly possessing 1.3 kilograms of high- grade heroin.

Deputy to City Police chief of detectives Lt. Col. Bakat Purwanto said yesterday the heroin confiscated from Romanus Ngobi Igbozulike Pita, 38, had an estimated street value of Rp 3.2 billion.

"I'd say that it's the biggest drug haul this year," Bakat said.

Bakat said his men arrested Romanus on Wednesday afternoon at his rented room in Kebon Sirih after the officers were tipped off by informants.

"We found the heroin packed in 13 packages, of around one ounce each, under his bed," he said.

He said the confiscated drugs were typical high-grade heroin grown in Thailand.

Informants reportedly told detectives that Romanus dealt drugs on a regular basis and that he seldom bought heroin in Thailand himself.

The suspect claimed during interrogation that he was a clothing exporter, Bakat said.

Although Romanus said he has been in Indonesia for four months for business purposes, he did not produce a passport, Bakat said.

He also continually denied the drugs were his, he said.

"It doesn't matter. The point is that we caught him with the heroin in his possession. That's enough to put him in jail," said Bakat.

He said Romanus would be charged under Article 87 of the 1997 Law on Narcotics on illegal possession of heroin.

"It means that he can be jailed for a maximum of 10 years or fined up to Rp 500 million," he said.

According to the head of the narcotics unit, Lt. Col. H. Abdullah, Romanus was the fifth foreigner to be arrested this year for alleged drug dealing or usage.

Abdullah said a Turk, a Nigerian and two Thais were arrested in January.

"All of them were arrested with heroin in their possession. They were either users or dealers," he said.

He said 12 local heroin dealers have also been arrested so far this year.

Abdullah said the total amount of heroin confiscated this year was about three kilograms. (cst)