Police trace cocaine to woman

JAKARTA (JP): A woman has been arrested at a house in South Jakarta for possessing 780 grams of top quality cocaine sent to her by a man in Bolivia, police said yesterday.

Head of the National Police general information department Col. S. Sidi said that the woman, identified as Melisawati, 20, was charged with violating Article 78 and 83 of the 1997 Law No. 22 on Narcotics.

"She is accused of possessing the cocaine. If found guilty, she will face a maximum penalty of ten years in jail and a Rp 500 million (US$50,000) fine," he said.

Sidi said Melisawati was caught with the package of cocaine on March 20 at her rented house on Jl. Cilandak Dalam in South Jakarta.

The package was sent to her by a man named Robert Narthan in Bolivia using the Federal Express service, he said.

"The cocaine powder was stored inside a miniature house made from gypsum," Sidi said.

The arrest was made using the controlled delivery technique and staged in cooperation with the United States' Drug Enforcement Agency, he added.

The two forces were aware of the shipment but deliberately let it arrive at the destination address so that they could obtain a statement from the recipient as evidence in the case.

According to Col. Wilhelmus Laturette, head of the National Police directorate of narcotics and hard drugs, Melisawati admitted during questioning that she knew the man who sent her the package.

Laturette, however, did not disclose the relationship between the two, saying that the case was still under investigation.

He said the confiscated cocaine, with a street value of around Rp 390 million, was of the finest quality.

"We believe the cocaine was produced in Bolivia. As you know, cocaine is mostly produced in Latin American countries, and especially Bolivia," Laturette said. (cst)