Two Indonesian migrant workers, identified as MGR and MH, were detained. Customs office head Purwidi said the two suspects claimed they were asked by a man, called MS in Kuala Lumpur, to take the drugs with them to Surabaya and would be paid Rp 15 million on delivery.

The suspects were taken into custody by the National Narcotics Body (BNN) to undergo further questioning.

BNN's spokesman Sr. Comr. Soemirat Dwiyanto said that using Indonesian migrant workers as mules was happening more often. He explained that this was the sixth time this year that customs had intercepted drugs smuggled in by migrant workers travelling from Malaysia to Surabaya.

Since January, officers have foiled 69 smuggling cases and arrested 40 Indonesians, two (South African), 11 (Chinese), four (Filipinos), two (Nigerians), six (Taiwanese), one (American), five (Malaysian), four (Indian) and one (Vietnamese) as suspects.

In total 87,888g crystal methamphetamine, 11,453g ketamine, 289.5g heroin, 774g cocaine and 414,585 ecstasy pills worth Rp 275.4 billion.

Drug smuggling incidents have increased, 16 cases in 2008, 38 cases in 2009, 63 cases in 2010, 52 in 2011, 39 cases last year and 69 between January and October this year. (dic)

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