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n separate raids, police have apprehended seven people, including a French national, for allegedly possessing and selling drugs in Denpasar recently.

Deputy Denpasar Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Nyoman Artana said the French national, identified as Rayan Jawad Hendri Bitar, 24, was arrested on the side of the road on Jl. Teuku Umar Barat in Denpasar on Aug. 13 for allegedly possessing 3.14 grams of cocaine.

'€œHe hid the drugs in a matchbox,'€ Artana said during a press conference at the Denpasar Police headquarters on Wednesday afternoon, where the suspect was shown to the media.

Artana explained that the arrest came about after the police received information indicating there was a foreigner in the area wanting to exchange cocaine for crystal methamphetamine, popularly known as shabu-shabu.

'€œBased on the information, we conducted an investigation. We apprehended the suspect as he conducted the exchange transaction,'€ Artana said.

During the arrest, police said that Bitar had tried to flee to the parking area of an indoor soccer arena, but police managed to catch him.

Artana added that, when the police conducted a search of Bitar'€™s person, they could not find any drugs.

'€œWhen we searched his car, we found a matchbox containing three packages of cocaine, weighing a total of 3.14 gr,'€ he said.

After the arrest, Artana added, the police also searched the suspect'€™s rented room on Jl. Uma Alas II, Kerobokan village, North Kuta, and found one bong, which is a water pipe used to smoke drugs.

Bitar, who has been living in Bali for the past three years, reportedly told police investigators that he is a user of drugs, particularly crystal methamphetamine.

'€œHe said that he bought the cocaine from someone at an entertainment venue in Legian, Kuta, for Rp 1.8 million (US$153.78). He was eager to exchange it for shabu as he wanted to use the shabu,'€ Artana said.

Police will charge Bitar under Article 112 of Law No. 35/2009 on narcotics, which carries a maximum 12-year prison sentence.

Meanwhile, the Denpasar Police also recently nabbed six other people for allegedly working as drug dealers. They were identified only by the initials of DK, 23, AN, 31, WK, 35, GS, 36, AP, 32, and YF, 28.

Denpasar Police drug section head Comr. I Gede Ganefo said that his officers seized a total of 33.52 gr of crystal methamphetamine, which was wrapped in numerous small packages and was ready to be sold.

'€œAll the suspects were nabbed within only three days, from Aug. 12 through Aug. 14,'€ Ganefo said.

Earlier, on July 24, police also arrested a Brazilian, Marlon Eduardo Bezrutchaka, 33, on drug charges.

Bezrutchaka, who was on vacation and staying at the Van Mandiri Guest House in Kerobokan, North Kuta at the time, was caught when he allegedly tried to exchange hashish for crystal methamphetamine.

Police found 0.13 gr of hashish and 0.14 gr of marijuana in a candy package in his car.

After detaining Bezrutchaka, the police investigated the guest house where he had been staying and found one bong, one set of electric scales, six pipes, as well as aluminum foil.

Bezrutchaka is facing a maximum 12-year prison term as the police will charge him under Article 111, subsection 1, of Law No. 35/2009.