Police confirm escape of alleged heroin smuggler

JAKARTA (JP): National Police confirmed yesterday the escape of an alleged heroin smuggler, Limbane Cosmo, from one of its detention centers, while the Directorate General of Immigration alerted its offices to prevent the fugitive from leaving the country.

Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi, spokesman for the National Police, said he had no idea how the South African passport holder could have escaped from his cell.

He said investigation into the matter was currently underway and officers on duty Monday, when the suspect was believed to have escaped, were being questioned.

"Those involved in arranging the suspect's escape will get harsh punishment based on legal procedure," he said following a press conference giving directives on campaigning for the coming general election.

Speculations about the escape of Limbane spread Monday, but no police officers were willing to confirm it.

Meanwhile, Spokesman for the Directorate General of Immigration Mursanudin A. Ghani, said yesterday circulars had been sent to all immigration offices throughout the country to close the door on the 31-year-old suspect.

The circulars signed by Zaiman Nurmatias, director of supervision and operation office, ordered all immigration officials to stop the suspect from leaving the country and turn him into local police.

Nurfaizi called on the public to participate in the rearrest of the suspect.

Limbane Cosmo arrived at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta international airport from Bangkok via Singapore on Jan. 8 with 320 grams of heroin in 25 capsules.

Nisfu Chasbullah, the airport Customs and Excise Office's chief said the suspect swallowed 11 capsules, keeping the remaining 14 capsules in his jeans.

This was revealed after airport Customs and Excise officers found him collapsed upon arrival.

"Some of the capsules probably leaked causing him to collapse," Nisfu said.

The officers assumed the suspect was suffering from a heart attack until they found 14 capsules in his jeans.

The suspect held a South African passport. However, soon after his arrest the South African embassy denied he was a South African citizen.

The embassy said the passport was reported stolen some months earlier.

It was the second escape of an alleged heroin smuggler from police custody.

A Ghanaian in City Police detention for smuggling 600 grams of heroin escaped in October 1995 before being recaptured in April last year.

No single police officer was punished for helping him escape detention.

The man, Ibrahim S., was found guilty by the Jakarta District Court and is serving 20 years jail term for the offense. (04/sur)