2 Times Passing Methamphetamine At Minangkabau Airport, Courier From Aceh Finally Arrested

The Provincial National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) of West Sumatra managed to thwart an attempt to smuggle 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine by a courier from Aceh with the initials AS (26) at Minangkabau International Airport (BIM), Tuesday, July 15.

The US is not a new player. The head of the West Sumatra BNNP, Brigadier General Ricky Yanuarfi, revealed that the perpetrators had twice managed to smuggle two kilograms of methamphetamine each through the same airport without being detected.

"This US has twice passed methamphetamine in BIM, each with two kilograms," said Ricky when releasing the case in Padang City, Antara, Wednesday, July 23.

However, the efforts of the three perpetrators were ultimately thwarted. The arrests were made by the West Sumatra BNNP together with the BIM Aviation Security (Avsec) team with evidence of nearly two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine hidden in a suitcase and inserted through the trunk of the plane bound for Lombok.

To the officers, the US admitted that it had smuggled methamphetamine three times from Minangkabau Airport to Lombok in the same month. Two previous actions escaped surveillance.

"This month I smuggled 2 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine each from BIM to be sold to Lombok without the airport officials knowing," the US said.

The head of the West Sumatra BNNP considered this to be a serious alarm for all parties, especially the Minangkabau International Airport Authority. He emphasized the importance of improving the overall control system for people and goods entering and leaving through the airport.

"We encourage airport authorities, especially in the working area of Minangkabau Airport, to immediately equip security facilities with special X-Ray tools to detect narcotics, especially for goods entering aircraft cargo," said Ricky.

Responding to this, the Assignment (Pgs) of Aviation Security Department Head of BIM Airport, Rudi Rial, stated that his party is committed to carrying out supervision in accordance with Law Number 1 of 2009 concerning Aviation.

"We have technical references in the examination at the airport to prevent being transported or carried away by dangerous items," said Rudi.

He added that current surveillance uses devices such as X-Ray, handheld metal detectors, and procedural systems according to standards in identifying potential security threats.

However, the case of the escape of drug smugglers has twice raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the surveillance system at the airport. A thorough evaluation is expected to be carried out immediately so that similar incidents do not happen again.