The crystal meth and ecstasy pills were packed in 106 plastic bags that the suspect, only identified by his initials HEN, concealed in five separated fish boxes, BNN Eradication Deputy Inspector General Arman Depari informed Antara in Jakarta on Friday.
HEN was arrested by the BNN investigators in Sungai Duri Village of Sungai Raya Sub-district, Bengkayang District, West Kalimantan Province, on Thursday at around 9:30 p.m. local time, he revealed.
The suspect concealed the drug inside his car, bearing license plate B 1121 SKR, he noted, adding that the agency's investigators also apprehended AR while driving a car, with license plate KB 1527 SP.
"The BNN officers have confiscated three cellular phones from AR since he is suspected to have directed HEN in transporting the drug," Depari stated, adding that HEN confessed that he had obtained the drug packages from three unknown people at Gosong Beach, Bengkayang District.
The BNN investigators are still probing this case, Depari added.
Indonesia is indeed perceived by both local and transnational drug dealers as their potential market due to its huge population and millions of drug users.
The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) noted that some 50 Indonesians die of illicit drugs every day, while the total number of drug users in the country has reached seven million.
The value of drug trade in the country is estimated to have reached at least Rp66 trillion.
On March 9, 2019, for instance, the Tanjung Balai Police and Customs and Excise officers in North Sumatra Province arrested a Malaysian citizen, only identified by his initials as NZ, for allegedly smuggling 76.4 grams of crystal meth.
Tanjung Balai City Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Irfan Rifai told Antara recently that the suspect concealed a plastic pack of crystal meth, or popularly known as Sabu-Sabu, inside his right shoe, while two others were concealed in his anus.
The investigators were able to retrieve the two remaining packs from NZ's body, he revealed.
In addition to the crystal meth, the police officers confiscated other evidence of crime from the suspect, including two cellular phones, Rp400 thousand in cash, and a pair of shoes, Rifai revealed.
NZ entered Indonesia by boarding a ferry vessel from Malaysia, which arrived at the Teluk Nibung Port in Tanjung Balai City, North Sumatra Province, on Saturday (Mar 9), at around 4:30 p.m. local time.
Reporting by Susylo Asmalyah, Rahmad Nasution
Translator: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Eliswan Azly
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
