Bali Foils Methamphetamine Smuggling

Kuta, Feb 14 (Antara Bali) - Customs officers at Ngurah Rai International Airport foiled 1,540 grams of methamphetamine smuggling brought by a South African national, Stephen Henri Lubbe (58).

"We indicate that he is part of international syndicate from Nigeria," Regional Chief of Customs for Bali and Nusa Tenggara, Rahmat Subagio told to reporters here on Friday.

He stated that the suspect is belived to be paid by someone to smmugle the meth into the resort island.

However, the relevant officers are still investigating the case including questioning his roles and actors behind the narcotics smmugling.

Lubbe, known as an electrician, caught by the security officers on Sunday (Feb,9) at 01.00 AM shortly after disembarking from Hong Kong Airlines flight HX 6705, flying Hong Kong-Denpasar route.

He stated that the perpetrator had put the methamphetamine on his grey suitcase.

"The X-ray showed a suspicious things on his suitcase then our officers found inside of his grey suitcase one plastic wrapping a white crystal. We examined those crystals which proven it was narcotics," he added.

Subagio further explained that in a black market, the price of meth predicted almost reach Rp2 million per gram.

"If we calculate it is predicted that the total value of the meth is about Rp3 billion," he said.

Bali's customs then handed over the suspect to the Bali Regional Police to investigate the attempt of narcotic smuggling into Bali.

Lubbe had violated the Article 113 Law Number 35 Year 2009 relating to Customs concerning to Narcotis.

He is to be charged with a minimum sentence of five years or facing 20 years in jail as the maximum sentence. (Dwa)