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ustoms and Excise officers have arrested a German student at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport for carrying 2,4 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (shabu-shabu) worth Rp 5 billion (US$559,205).

C.F. Sidjabat, head of Banten Customs Office said the suspect identified as F.H., 26, flew from Dubai with Garuda Indonesia flight GA-089 and arrived at the airport on Wednesday.

“Custom’s Tactical Unit Team members who were conducting profile analyses of passengers arriving at terminal II D became suspicious of the suspect who looked nervous,” he told reporters in a press conference at the airport on Friday.

“Suspicion led officers to conduct a deeper search of the suspect’s body and luggage and they found the drugs hidden in false compartments in his luggage,” he said.

He said the suspect testified that an Iranian with the initial K had asked him to carry the drugs to be transferred to an Indian man called K.N., 53 a textile businessman who was waiting for him at a hotel on
Jl. KH. Wahid Hasyim in Jakarta.

In cooperation with the drugs directorate of the National Police, customs officers developed the case by carrying out a controlled delivery to the hotel and arrested K.N..

F.H. said he was willing to take the drug to Jakarta because K promised him US$5000.

Drug smuggling attempts through the country’s main international gate has continued to rise in the past three years despite the death penalty. Drug smuggling violates Article 113 of the 2009 Law on Narcotics. The article carries a maximum penalty of death.

Since January this year, customs officers have foiled 41 drug smuggling cases and seized a total of 68,615 grams of shabu-shabu in 28 cases, 31,944 grams of ketamine in five cases, 108 grams of cocaine (two cases), 545 grams of heroin and 158 grams of morphine and 10,760 ecstasy pills.

Officers have also arrested 41 suspects comprising a German, a Sweden, two Britons, a Thai, three Indians, two Nigerians, six Malaysians, 11 Iranians, a Frenchman, a Filipino, two Chinese, two Taiwanese, five Indonesians, a Kenyan, a Portuguese and an Italian.