Foreigner arrested for drug trafficking in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) — Police in Indonesia’s Jakarta have arrested a foreign national for allegedly smuggling over 4 kg of crystal methamphetamine.
The suspect, a 43-year-old Iranian national, was apprehended with 4.4 kg of the drug hidden inside two ceramic items at a hotel in the Penjaringan area in northern Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon.
Jakarta police narcotics investigation chief Donald Parlaungan Simanjuntak said on Wednesday that investigators had received prior intelligence about narcotics concealed in ceramics shipped from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to Jakarta. Officers then tracked the intended recipient of the packages, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Under Indonesian drug laws, those involved in drug-related crimes face severe penalties, ranging from a five-year imprisonment sentence to death penalty. ■