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Iranians biggest drug smugglers to Indonesia

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 06/20/2010 5:30 PM

The Indonesian government has said that Iranian nationals are the most common smugglers of class-A drugs into the country as of January this year.

Malaysians were the next-highest group, with eight suspects arrested so far this year, followed by India with six suspects, tempointeraktif.com reported.

The Customs and Excise Office at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, has arrested 15 Iranian nationals this year linked to 22 cases. It has also seized a total 115 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu), ketamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana.

"All of the evidence together is worth Rp 278 billion (US$30.5 million) at market value," the office's head Baduri Wijayanta said Sunday.

All of the arrested Iranian smugglers were believed to be part of an Iran-based international drug syndicate, he added.

The office's head of prosecutions Gatot Sugeng Wibowo said the Iran-based drug mafia might not have been aware that Indonesia enforced the death penalty for drug smuggling.

The 2009 Narcotics Law carries the death penalty and a Rp 10 billion fine for anyone in possession of more than 5 grams of drugs.


News maker: Journalists take pictures of Soekarno-Hatta airport customs office head Bahaduri Wijayanta following a press conference on the arrest of three Iranians for a drug smuggling attempt. The Iranian nationals were presented during the conference on Wednesday.-- JP/Multa Fidrus

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