Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Almost 300 Indonesians are facing the death penalty abroad for involvement in narcotic drug cases, according to National Narcotic Agency (BNN) chief Gories Mere.

"Until now, 284 Indonesians have been sentenced to death abroad in connection with narcotic cases," he said at a year-end press conference here on Tuesday.

He said 271 of the Indonesians are on death row in Malaysia and 13 others in China.

"The total number of Indonesians imprisoned abroad for involvement in international narcotic syndicates is 501," he said.

The number of Indonesian nationals dealing with law enforcement in Malaysia is recorded at 390 and in China 35, Hong Kong 10, and Saudi Arabia nine.

In the Philippines there are eight, Australia and Peru five, Pakistan four, the US, India and Thailand three, Brazil, Ecuador, and Iran two and Argentina, Chile, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Sri Lanka and Timor Leste each one.

"Most of the Indonesian citizens are involved in narcotic cases as couriers," he said.

He said most of them were women recruited through a job, friendship, marriage or cooperation offer abroad and then they were asked to help carry a bag containing narcotic drugs without their knowledge.

"They also use migrant workers who have been fired from their jobs abroad who are then offered to carry narcotics or a bag to other countries without them knowing the bag`s content in exchange for money," he said.

Regarding their extradition Gories said it would all depend upon the laws in the countries concerned.

"Their extradition will depend upon the law in the countries concerned. In our country there is no extradition for foreigners involved in narcotic cases," he said.
(Uu.H-YH/HAJM/S012)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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