T

he arrest of a German national for smuggling 6.73 grams of marijuana and one Ecstasy pill has added to the increasing number of drug smuggling cases in Bali.

Ngurah Rai Airport's customs and excise office arrested 51-year old Peter Achim Franz as it was suspicious of the man's insecure actions upon his arrival at the airport at 7.30 p.m. flying from Amsterdam on flight number KL 835.

"We became suspicious as he showed signs of drug taking," Bagus Endro Wibowo said.

Officials scanned him and found a small plastic bag containing marijuana placed in his underwear.

"By using the Ion scan, we also detected traces of cocaine on his hands and bag. The suspect admitted that he consumed cocaine a day before flying to Bali," Wibowo explained.

The suspect could be charged with violating a law on narcotics, with a possible sentence of between five and 20 years in prison.

"The case has been submitted to the Bali Police for further investigation," Wibowo said.

Sr. Com. Kokot Indarto, director of Bali Police's narcotics department, confirmed that he had received the report and was processing the case.

"We are examining evidence at the Forensic Laboratory."

Indarto admitted that the number of drug trafficking and smuggling involving foreign nationals had been increasing significantly over the last few months.

Since December 2009, the Bali Police has handled drug-related cases involving seven Iranian citizens who were found to have illegally smuggled 5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine by swallowing the drug.

Ten days later, another Iranian was arrested for illegally trafficking similar drugs using the same modus operandi.

Also in December, Australian Robert Paul Mcjannett was caught smuggling 2 grams of marijuana.

On new year's eve, a Ngurah Rai official also arrested Malaysian Hoon Yue Chin for smuggling 0.62 grams of crystal meth.

In early January, Ngurah Rai officials also arrested a French man for smuggling 0.78 grams of heroin.

In the same month, two Malaysian citizens, Chang Cheng Weng and Boo Guang Teik, smuggled 2 kilograms of crystal meth.