Rp 100m hashish haul impounded

JAKARTA (JP): Customs and excise officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 11 kilograms of dried hashish valued at Rp 100 million (US$12,500) through an inter-island cargo shipment.

The chief of the Customs and Excise Office at the airport, Heru Santoso, said on Monday the drug was concealed in a package sent from Banda Aceh through PT Intrasco Kilat. It arrived at the Jakarta airport on Friday afternoon via a Garuda Indonesia flight.

Antara quoted Intrasco Kilat employee Is as saying the package notation identified it as containing 18 kilograms of salted fish.

After receiving an anonymous tip-off, the customs and excise officers impounded the package.

During a physical examination at Garuda's domestic warehouse, a cardboard box of salted fish was discovered in the upper part, several pairs of children's shoes in the middle and a cardboard box with the hashish below.

Heru Santoso said drug smuggling contravened Law No. 22 1997 on narcotics, and culprits were liable to a 15-year prison sentence and fines up to Rp 750 million.

Following their find, the officers contacted the special police squad at the Soekarno-Hatta airport which detained Is for further questioning.

According to Is, the packet was to be sent to an addressee in Ciputat, Tangerang.