Sex aids seized at Soekarno-Hatta

TANGERANG (JP): Customs and Excise officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have foiled several attempts to smuggle sexual aids and pornographic VCDs into the country over the past six months, an official said on Thursday.

Director General for Customs and Excise Permana Agung said the devices were seized from several arriving passengers who carried them in their baggage, or from packages mailed into the country.

"The devices were seized after the baggage and packages went through the X ray at the airport," Permana said.

The 33 devices confiscated by airport customs officers include several vibrators, electronic penis enlargers, dildos and a life- sized inflatable doll.

Permana said possession of sexual aids violated Article 282 of the Criminal Code on vice goods, which carries a maximum punishment of two years and eight months in jail.

In May, customs also seized scores of sexual aids, including 280 male sexual aids, vibrators, penis enlargers and plastic breasts, which were shipped through couriers.

Permana also said 12,084 illegal VCDs, most of which were pornographic, were confiscated by the airport's customs.

Permana acknowledged that the number of confiscated VCDs was relatively low compared to the illegal VCDs in circulation in the capital.

"But that doesn't mean that a lot of illegal VCDs are getting past customs inspection because the discs are usually smuggled into the country under several different titles, which are duplicated later in the capital," Permana said.

Permana also said that throughout the year, customs had confiscated more than 4,500 Viagra pills, and thousands of other medicines.

Permana said the pills were seized because they had been illegally imported to Indonesia without the health ministry's consent.

Permana also said psychotropic drugs had been the most common goods confiscated by customs this year.

In November, customs seized 40 kilograms of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) which had been stuffed into three gravestones. The drugs had a street value of billions of rupiah.(jaw)