RI woman charged in Pakistan

RI woman charged in Pakistan

JAKARTA (JP): Customs officers at Pakistan's Quaid Azzam
International Airport arrested a 29-year-old Indonesian woman
last week for allegedly attempting to smuggle 3.4 kilograms of
shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) out of the country.

"Sri Yanti, who is from Jakarta, was arrested on Oct. 23
carrying a passport issued by the West Sumatra Immigration
Office," Jakarta Police detectives chief Alex Bambang Riatmodjo
said on Sunday.

"She had been vacationing in Punjab and Islamabad, and was
about to return to Jakarta on a Singapore Airlines flight on Oct.
23. Customs officers became suspicious when they saw white dots
on the X-ray examination of her purse.

"They stopped her, ripped out the lower portion of her purse
and found the shabu-shabu. She said she bought the drug from a
man who is currently staying at Hotel Mulia Senayan in Central
Jakarta."

Alex said Yanti claimed that she was a courier who intended to
sell the goods for US$2,500 in Afghanistan. He did not explain
why Yanti was returning to Jakarta with the drug.

"Most probably, her case will be tried in Pakistan itself,"
Alex said.

Indonesian national Ruth Elizabeth, 26, was caught at the same
airport in mid-August for attempting to smuggle 3.3 kilograms of
heroin into the country.

Separately, police apprehended four people, including a Dutch
national, at Hotel Radisson on Jl. Pecenongan, Central Jakarta,
for possession of drugs and firearms on Friday evening. Another
man was arrested at an apartment.

Police found 1.5 kilograms of shabu-shabu, 806 ecstasy pills
and nine kilograms of raw materials to make ecstasy. They also
found 11 bullets of the .22 millimeter caliber, two .22
millimeter Colt revolvers and a FN .22 millimeter Colt.

Alex identified the five as 33-year-old Yung Tak Sun, alias
Joni, a Dutch national, San Tatomi, 31, who owns an apartment at
Juanda Apartments in Central Jakarta, Burhan, 41, of Citra Garden
II housing complex in Kalideres, West Jakarta, and Selvi
Agustina, 18, of Jl. Budi Rahayu in Sawah Besar, Central Jakarta.

Also arrested was Joe Robert, 41, who was caught at his
apartment at Juanda Apartments. (ylt)