"Checks on the luggage of passengers have been tightened in anticipation of drug smuggling attempts," head of the investigation and enforcement section of the airport`s customs office, Gatot Sugeng Wibowo, said here on Saturday.
He said customs officers must always be alert and may not be careless especially when checking goods of passengers from abroad.
He said smugglers liked to take an advantage of officers` carelessness and deceive officers using various methods to smuggle narcotic goods into the country.
A British national was arrested recently at the country`s biggest airport attempting to smuggle 6.5 kilograms of methamphentamine worth at market value Rp13 billion kept in a compartment specially designed for hiding the illegal goods on the inner side of his bag.
The suspect, Gareth DC (35), said he was only a courier and did had done it becuase he was badly in need of money.
He came to Jakarta aboard Turkei Airways Flight Number TK-066 from Manchester through Istambul, Turkey.
He said he would only receive US$1,000 for his service and the money would also be used to pay hotel rooms, tickets and accomodations while in Indonesia.
Gareth is threatened to 15 years in jail if later he is proven violating Law Number 35 of 2009 on narcotics and a fine of up to Rp10 billion. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
