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ANGERANG: The customs and excise authorities at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have arrested five Indonesians and one Hong Konger after they were caught trying to smuggle 7.6 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu, worth Rp 10 billion (US$861,000) into the country.

The director of law enforcement and investigation affairs at the Directorate General of Excise and Customs, Muhammad Sigit, said in a press conference on Friday that there were three smuggling attempts through the airport and one through the Kuala Namu International Airport in Medan, North Sumatra.

'The three smuggling attempts at Soekarno-Hatta used the same method of hiding the drugs in electronic massage devices.'

He said three electronic massage devices with the illegal drugs inside were packed and sent from Hong Kong to Jakarta on Feb. 21, 2014.

'One day before, the airport authorities in Medan also confiscated a similar package that was sent from Hong Kong through Malaysia.'

The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) investigated the four cases and arrested the illegal drugs' potential recipients identified only as ZL in Kapuk, West Jakarta, WI in Cibubur, East Jakarta, MA in Bambu Apus, East Jakarta and two others in Medan.

Earlier, customs and excise officers arrested a Hong Konger identified as MM, whom they suspect was the owner of the packages.

Spokesperson for BNN Sumirat Dwiyanto said BNN and the police would carry out a further investigation into the four cases as all the six have been held suspects.