Police seize 3.7 kilograms of heroin in record haul

JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested three foreigners holding Nigerian passports for their alleged involvement in the smuggling of 3.7 kilograms of first-grade heroin into the country from Thailand, a senior officer said yesterday.

The seized heroin, with a street value of US$555,000, is believed to be the country's largest drug haul this year.

Thursday's arrest followed Wednesday's detention of three foreigners -- a Thai, Liberian and Nigerian -- who were allegedly negotiating a deal for 1.7 kilograms of a high-grade heroin.

The director of the National Police narcotics and dangerous substances unit, Col. Wilhelmus Laturette, said both batches of heroin were smuggled in on the same Thai Airlines flight from Bangkok.

"But there has been no evidence, so far, which can prove a connection between the two gangs," Laturette said, adding that all the suspects were still being interrogated.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Trimada Dani identified the three Nigerians as Okechukwu Halliday, alias Collins, 26, Charles Uche, 32 and Richard Abuator, 33.

"They arrived here on tourist visas," the spokesman said.

He said the three were arrested Thursday evening during an alleged drug delivery at Menteng Dua Hotel on Jl. Cikini in Central Jakarta.

"They were busted after receiving the smuggled heroin from an undercover cop," Trimada said.

The 3.7 kilos of heroin was packed in a black canvas suitcase, which was left on board the airplane, and was picked up by an undercover police detective at the request of a man, who called the Lost & Found section of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport claiming the bag as his.

The man then asked the section's employee to deliver it to the Menteng Dua Hotel, Trimada said.

According to Laturette, the luggage tag had Halliday's nickname, Collins, written on it.

"The abandoned suitcase had accidentally continued on to the flight's next destination in Australia. But it was returned here Thursday and was kept in the airport's Lost & Found section because nobody came to pick it up," the officer said.

Laturette said that Halliday might have intentionally left the suitcase on the plane when he arrived Wednesday.

"At least, there is a possibility that one of them was the person who smuggled the heroin," he said.

The same flight was also used by a Thai woman -- who was arrested Wednesday evening along with a Liberian and a Nigerian -- to smuggle 1.7 kilos of heroin, Laturette alleged.

"Halliday's name was on the passenger list together with Laor Treekhem (the Thai)," he said.

Treekhem was arrested a couple of hours after checking in to a room in the small Petamburan Hotel in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, together with Liberian John Brown and Nigerian Melvin Chiguzie.

The two were in the process of negotiating a drug deal, police allege.

According to Trimada, the suspects would be charged under Article 83 of the 1997 Narcotics Law No. 22 on the smuggling of heroin.

The article stipulates a penalty of 20 years in jail and a fine of Rp 1 billion (US$303,303).

The head of special operations at the airport's customs office, Endang Tata, said his office had suspected the abandoned suitcase contained illegal goods.

"We always pay more attention to passengers and baggage that come from particular countries which are often connected to drugs," Endang said. (cst)

Nigerian -- Page 3