Bali Police arrested two suspects, Malaysian citizen Kevin Arokiasamy and an Indonesian woman identified only as JR, when they were caught red-handed in front of a hotel in Badung in possession of illegal drugs.

Police arrested the pair last week but only released details of the arrest on Thursday.

The officers confiscated 0.2 grams of crystal methamphetamine (known locally as shabu-shabu) in a plastic bag, which was found in Kevin's pocket.

Police also seized a mobile phone box that was in JR's rattan bag containing a total of 2.4 grams of shabu-shabu in six packages, one ecstasy pill, six psychotropic capsules, a bundle of Malaysian banknotes and a digital scale.

Bali Police documentation division head Adj. Sr. Comr. Made Parwatha said 37-year-old Kevin had arrived at Ngurah Rai airport on Monday last week and was picked up by JR, 26, of Denpasar.

Kevin told police a man identified only as NH gave him the box in front of an Indosat company office on the bypass when he was on his way to the hotel, while JR said she received the box from Kevin, Parwatha said.

"They said there was no transaction at all and that the man just gave them the box. But we don't believe them and will continue with our investigations," he said.

"The thing is, traders usually protect their accomplices if one gets arrested," Parwatha went on, adding police believed the couple had known NH previously.

When asked about the possibility that NH was in fact a police officer that trapped the couple, Parwatha said the fugitive would be treated equally -- regardless of his job when he was nabbed.

Police have charged Kevin with violation of the anti-narcotics law which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp 500 million (US$41,666).

JR was charged with the same law and the anti-psychotropic law which carries an additional maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp 100 million.

Parwatha said there was an indication that the pair were dealers since there were digital scales in the box.

Without sufficient evidence to support this theory, however, police have not charged the pair as dealers (which would carry heavier penalties), Parwatha said.

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