Tanjungpinang Customs And Excise Thwarts Smuggling Of Methamphetamine And Ecstasy

TANJUNGPINANG - Tanjungpinang Customs and Excise, Riau Islands (Kepri) thwarted the smuggling of methamphetamine and ecstasy pills throughout September 2023 by arresting three suspects, namely two men and one woman.

Head of Cuka Tanjungpinang Customs, Tri Hartana, said the two pieces of evidence were secured in two different locations. 1 kilogram of crystal methamphetamine was secured at Sei Kolak Port, Kijang, East Bintan, Friday (15/9).

"The methamphetamine was brought by two passengers with the initials A and R, by riding the Pelni Bukit Raya ship," Tri Hartana said at a press conference at the Tanjungpinang Customs office, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 26.

The two passengers, he said, were caught carrying methamphetamine during an inspection of passengers' belongings through the X-Ray engine.

At that time, he continued, officers detected a suspicious package in the bag carried by A and R.

After being examined, it turned out that the package contained white crystalline powder, which was later discovered to be a methamphetamine type drug weighing 1,076 grams.

Furthermore, Tanjungpinang Customs and Excise officers coordinated with the Bintan Police Narcotics Unit to hand over perpetrators A and R along with the evidence.

"Both of them have now been named as suspects in narcotics crimes," he said.

Meanwhile, evidence in the form of 10 thousand ecstasy pills was carried by a woman on a fast boat with the initials A, from Selang Laut, Malaysia at the Sri Bintan Pura Port International Terminal (SBP), Tanjungpinang, Sunday (17/9).

He was caught carrying ecstasy pills during the inspection process through the engine and image of the X-Ray at the passenger's arrival gate.

"Our team identified that there was a suspicious package in one plastic food carried by passenger A," said Tri.

After the inspection, the officer found five packs of almond-type snacks, which contained 10,027 ecstasy pills mixed with almonds.

Furthermore, Tanjungpinang Customs and Excise detained items along with passengers A for further questioning.

"We are also coordinating with the Tanjungpinang Police for further legal proceedings," he said.

Meanwhile, the Tanjungpinang Police Chief, Kombes Heribertus Ompusunggu, added that the woman with the initials A had been named a narcotics suspect, by the Tanjungpinang Police Narcotics Unit Investigator.

His party together with Customs and Excise will increase security at the port to prevent drug smuggling in the area.

"From our investigation, this case is not the first time this has happened. We will develop further from the courier who brought this ecstasy," he said.