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olice have interrogated Malaysian Chang Cheng We and Russian Anton Pujikov, two foreign inmates at Kerobokan Penitentiary in Denpasar, Bali, for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into the prison.

North Kuta Police chief Adj. Comr. Ronny Riantoko Eppang told The Jakarta Post on Sunday that the two prisoners might face additional sentences that could see them incarcerated for a longer period.

The police said Friday that a prison guard had received a suspicious mail package, which was later opened. In the package, the guard found white powder, thought to be heroin, weighing around 20 grams. The package was wrapped in three layers'€”a plastic bag, aluminum foil and a brown envelope.

'€œThe prison guards took the package and reported the case to the North Kuta Police. We later interrogated the two inmates,'€ Ronny said.

The police said the package had been sent from China and was addressed to We. We is already serving a life sentence for smuggling 2 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine into Bali.

'€œWe admitted that the package was addressed to him, but stated it was to be handed over to the Russian, Anton Pujikov,'€ the police said. Pujikov is also a convict in a drug case.

Ronny added that the package of white powder had been sent to the police forensic laboratory. '€œA laboratory test is needed to identify the white powder,'€ Ronny said.

As the investigation was ongoing, Ronny said that police had not yet decided which article of the Narcotics Law would be used to charge the inmates. '€œWe have three days to conduct the initial investigation,'€ he said.

Kerobokan Penitentiary is notorious as a haven for drug smuggling and is home to high-profile prisoners convicted of various drug cases. The prison management'€™s attempt to free the prison from drugs has so far proved unsuccessful, despite several attempts to smuggle drugs into Kerobokan being foiled.

In July this year, one attempt to smuggle drugs into the correctional facility ended with the arrest of Vicky Alberto Delano, 27, who allegedly tried to bring more than 2 grams of crystal meth into the prison.

Delano was caught when the former prisoner arrived to visit an inmate carrying a plastic bag containing food and several packets of cigarettes. When the bag was examined, a prison guard found crystal meth inside a Dunhill cigarette pack.

Earlier, in June, an attempt to smuggle 2.5 kg of marijuana into the prison was also thwarted. Prison officers arrested Juwarso, 26, who had the marijuana wrapped in a plastic bag concealed under some vegetables.

In September last year, another attempt to smuggle drugs was also foiled. Ramli Basalamah, 35, was arrested with 150 g of crystal meth inside a snack package he was bringing into the prison.

Meanwhile, postal services have recently become a favored method used by drug-smuggling syndicates, with many attempts to smuggle drugs into Bali via the post thwarted this year.

One recent case occurred in July, when a customs and excise officer found three packages sent from Malaysia through the post. The packages contained a total of 739 g crystal meth and were concealed between children'€™s storybooks, clothing and food. One man was arrested, identified by the initials EEP, who could be charged with violating Article 113, subsection 2 of the Narcotics Law, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years'€™ imprisonment and a fine of Rp 10 billion (US$848.983).