Three to face trial for smuggling heroin

JAKARTA (JP): The National Police have handed over the dossiers of three suspects, a Malaysian, a Thai and an Indonesian, all of whom are charged with illegal possession of 29 kilograms of high-grade heroin.

The dossiers stated that the three would face the death sentence or life imprisonment if convicted.

Spokesman for National Police, Col. Harry Sutanto, told reporters here yesterday that the dossiers, containing some 300 pages, were received by the City Prosecutor's Office on Sept. 6 along with the three suspects and material evidence.

"Normally, cases with such lengthy dossiers are tried within 15 days after the date of receipt," Harry said. "But we still haven't received any information from the Prosecutor's Office about why this case has been delayed."

When contacted yesterday, officers at the City Prosecutor's Office refused to give further explanation.

The three were arrested on May 11 this year in the largest drug bust ever made in this country at Hotel Indonesia in Central Jakarta. The 29 kilograms of heroin have an estimated street value of Rp 58 billion (US$27 million).

The three suspects were identified as Tham Tuck Yin, alias A Tjai, 29, a Malaysian national, Sae Lim Iaw, alias Boon Tan, 50, a Thai national, and Freddy, alias A Ting, 44, a resident of Bekasi, a fast growing suburb east of Jakarta.

They are believed to be part of an international syndicate.

Police are still seeking the suspected buyer, identified as Tp, who managed to escape during the raid.

Keep silent

"During police questioning, the three suspects remained tight- lipped and gave no sign that would help us find their other accomplices or any information of their network," a police officer said.

"They also refused to name the person and whereabouts of their source," said the officer, who asked not to be identified.

Police believe that the confiscated heroin, which is between 95 and 97 percent pure, was smuggled into Indonesia by boat into Belawan, North Sumatra, from Phuket, a tourist resort in Thailand, by A Tjai in January. The smuggler then left for Jakarta from the provincial capital of Medan.

The 29 kilograms consisted of 60 small bags each containing 480 grams of heroin. The bags were coated with paraffin.

The officers also said that they were not under pressure from external parties in questioning the suspects.

"The only problem the officers had in completing the dossiers was the Thai language," he said.

Based on evidence and confessions from the suspects and witnesses, the three will be charged under articles of the Crime Code and Law on Narcotics.

Other evidence includes 60 bags of heroin, a white Toyota Crown sedan, a bag and personal documents.

"We hope the three will be tried soon since the case involves foreigners," Harry said. (bsr)