S'poreans jailed for smuggling pills

TANGERANG (JP): The local district court here sentenced two Singaporeans to four years in jail each for attempting to smuggle thousands of Ecstasy pills into the country late last year.

During separate trials Monday, the defendants -- identified as Loh Kok Ban, 37, and Lim Thian Kwang, 25 -- were each ordered to also pay a fine of Rp 4 million (US$695).

Presiding judge HB Simatupang found Loh guilty of trying to smuggle 8,439 Ecstasy pills and 240 grams of powder through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Dec. 14, 1996.

In a separate session, Judge Hakimanzah found Lim guilty of attempting to smuggle 8,097 Ecstasy pills and 200 grams of Ecstasy powder through the same airport the following day.

Both men arrived in Jakarta on board a Cathay Pacific flight.

Their nervousness apparently alerted customs officials, who searched the men's belongings and found the contraband in their suitcases.

The verdicts were one year less than the prosecutors had requested but the fines were Rp 1 million higher.

Through their lawyers, the Singaporeans said they had expected lighter sentences and would appeal to a higher court. (bsr/41)