Customs seizes Rp 1.2b worth of drugs in lampions

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang | Jakarta | Thu, April 04 2013, 7:36 PM

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport customs and excise officers have thwarted an attempt to smuggle drugs worth Rp 1.2 billion (US$123,000) hidden in a package of lampions.

Airport customs office chief Okto Irianto said on Thursday that officers found a suspicious package on March 22 in a warehouse. The package, which was sent from Ranburg, South Africa, was declared as having contained lampions. “They were suspicious because South Africa is not a lampion producer,” he said. “Afterward, officers found 893 grams of crystal methamphetamine ... inside 19 lampions.”

He said the package, which was to be sent to an address in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, led officers to three Indonesians, identified as Dian Rahmadani, M. Irwan and Adrianto.

Separately on April 1, officers found a suspicious package sent from Shenzen, China, that contained 500 grams of crystal methamphetamine worth Rp 675 million. The drugs, which were hidden in water filters, were supposed to be delivered to Lim Agus Salim, alias Wong Wangsa Chandra, in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta. After developments in the case, officers accordingly arrested repeat drug offender Lukman Siswanto, alias Liem Kok Eng, in Malang, East Java.