Iranian nabbed at airport for drug smuggling

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang | Mon, 12/27/2010

Customs and excise officers at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have arrested an Iranian for carrying one kilogram of crystal methaphetamine worth Rp 1.5 billion (US$166,000).

Gatot Sugeng Wibowo, head of the intelligence and prosecution section at the customs office, said that the suspect, identified as Allahverdi Etamani, 51, arrived Saturday from Tehran on Qatar Airways QR 0670.

Customs Tactical Unit Team members at the international terminal were suspicious of spare engine parts in the suspect’s luggage, he said.

“Even the scanning device failed to detect strange objects hidden inside the spare parts,” Gatot said, adding that suspicious officers finally opened and examine four pipe-like spare parts and found the drugs inside.

He said the suspect, who works as truck driver in Tehran, admitted that he was asked by a man named Ali to take the drugs to Jakarta in return for US$2,000 if the mission was successful.

The suspect will be charged with violating Article 113 of the 2009 law on drug smuggling, Gatot said.

The Interdiction Task Force at the airport has foiled 60 drug smuggling cases since January with a total value of Rp 366 billion.