E. Java Police arrest Malaysian siblings in drug trafficking sting

The East Java Police narcotics division and the East Java Customs and Excise Directorate General managed to arrest two siblings who are allegedly part of a drug ring operating in Indonesia.

The crackdown on the ring began on July 30 when the Customs Narcotics Team at the Juanda Airport, Surabaya, arrested Malaysian teenager Ling Shao Chi after discovering that he had swallowed 700 grams of heroin powder worth Rp 1.75 billion (US$205,320) in 84 capsules.

Shao Chi, who arrived via Air Asia, aroused the suspicion of airport officials because he seemed to have trouble walking and had no luggage with him. Officers then conducted a physical check on the teen, followed by an X-ray, which revealed that there were capsule-shaped objects within his intestines.

“We then decided to have the objects removed,” the East Java Customs and Excise Directorate general chief said on Friday.

He added the modus operandi of swallowing contraband was rarely used to traffic drugs through Juanda airport.

“Swallowing often happens in other places, but this method is quite new at Juanda,” he said, as reported by tribunnews.com.

The teen then told the East Java Police that his older sister Ling Jing Ying, who was temporarily living in Jakarta, had instructed him to transport the drugs for a fee of RM 2,000.

The police then arrested Ling Jing Ying.

“We managed to arrest the sister after we ordered the brother to ask her to come here,” East Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Hadiatmoko said, adding that the police were still searching for another suspect.

“The sister was working for a suspect whose identity we are already aware of. The suspect is a Nigerian national,” he said.