Police chasing Zarina's friends

INDRAMAYU, West Java (JP): Police detectives are still trying to locate two men believed to be connected to Ecstasy-suspect Zarina, who was arrested in Houston, U.S. recently, National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi said.

Nurfaizi said the two men, identified only as R and Ed, have been missing since the 24-year-old Zarina was arrested last August.

Police believe the two could reveal where the 29,677 pills found in a safety box in Zarina's possession were from. Zarina has been charged for possessing the drug.

"The two men disappeared shortly after the news of the arrest of Zarina sparked widely," the officer said.

"They are now believed to have been hiding somewhere in Europe," said Nurfaizi, who was inspecting the preparation of police traffic arrangements for the Christmas and New Year holiday peak season West and Central Java towns.

Unofficial sources said the two were still in Jakarta.

Zarina, who was arrested in Houston last week by U.S immigration officials early last week, said she had no idea the box contained drugs.

She was quoted by her father, businessman Mirafsur K, as saying on Thursday the safety box police found was her friend's.

Mirafsur said Zarina forgot the name of the owner, but police quoting Zarina's confession said the man was identified only as R.

Zarina said she was asked by R to keep the box for him. She said he told her it contained cash.

Mirafsur said the house where the box was found was not rented by Zarina but her boyfriend Edwin.

The identities of R and Ed are unknown, but police sources said R was well-known among drug traffickers.

"He's a big player and Zarina, a newcomer in the illegal business, wants to get the same status in a speedy way," the sources said.

Nurfaizi, once head of the Jakarta detectives, said: "In my personal opinion, Zarina is not part of a big syndicate."

Zarina was arrested by Tangerang police detectives on Aug. 7 for possessing Ecstasy pills in a box at her home in the Taman Alfa Indah housing complex in Joglo, West Jakarta. She escaped during a police escort the next day.

Following her escape, head of the Tangerang police detectives was dismissed and will face a military tribunal over the incident.

Zarina, who was arrested in Houston for entering the U.S. with false documents, will stand trial today in a U.S. court for the offense.

She is expected to arrive in Jakarta on Monday to face a local court on Ecstasy-related charges.

During interrogation by Jakarta police in Houston, Zarina said no one arranged her escape.

But police in Jakarta have a photo of a man they believed was involved in Zarina's escape, a source said.

When asked for confirmation, Nurfaizi said: "We're now eying a number of people who we believe have played significant roles in both the presence of drugs in Zarina's possession and her escape." (bsr)