Smuggling Of 3.2 Kilograms Of Methamphetamine In A Suitcase At Hang Nadim Batam Airport Was Thwarted

Batam Customs and Excise released the disclosure of the drug smuggling case involving children in Batam, Riau Islands, Wednesday (22/1/2025). (ANTARA/HO-Bea Excise Batam)

Batam Customs and Excise, Riau Islands, thwarted a drug smuggling attempt by a network involving minors by hiding 3.2 kilograms of methamphetamine in a baggage suitcase at Hang Nadim International Airport, Batam.

Head of the Batam Customs Office Zaky Firmansyah said two smugglers with the initials F (21) and A (17) had been arrested by officers.

"The two perpetrators know each other and are friends in the village," Zaky said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 22.

He explained that two of the perpetrators who were named suspects were arrested by officers on Friday (10/1). However, Customs and Excise only released the case today because investigators are still developing a network of smugglers.

At the time of the arrest, the two suspects were about to depart from Batam to Samarinda, East Kalimantan, via the Domestic Departure Terminal of Hang Hadim International Airport.

From the results of the X-ray engine scanner, suspect F's suitcase shows the image of two suspicious packages, while A's suitcase was detected carrying a package with similar indications.

"Adanya temuan tersebut, petugas melakukan pencegahan terhadap barang tersebut untuk pendalaman lebih lanjut," katanya.

Officers immediately went to the A6 gate boarding area to search for the two passengers. After being found, the two passengers were asked to follow the officers to the reconciliation room for further examination.

From the results of the examination, the suitcases of the two passengers were found several pieces of clothing, shoes, and packages suspected of being drugs (shabu).

"In the suitcase, perpetrator F found two packs of white crystalline powder suspected of being methamphetamine weighing approximately 1,065 grams," he said.

The items suspected of having methamphetamine have been tested using narcotics with reagents, the results show positive containing methamphetamine.

Officers conducted urine tests on the two perpetrators. The results of the urine test, perpetrator F tested positive for drugs, while perpetrator A was negative.

Furthermore, the two perpetrators and the evidence were brought to the Batam Customs Office for further processing.

From the laboratory test results, the clear crystalline powder was tested positive for the class I narcotic compound methamphetamine.

Based on the perpetrator's confession, Zaky continued, both of them were part of a narcotics smuggling network controlled by RX and RZ, who acted as drug owners through a liaison with the initials PON.

"At the direction of PON, perpetrators F and A were ordered to Batam to meet someone named Swallow," he said.

Swallows act as liaison couriers who submit drugs to F and A. Furthermore, they are given the task of bringing the goods to Balikpapan by air.

"They were promised a salary of Rp. 60 million for each kilogram of goods that were successfully brought," he said.

According to him, the wages have not been used by the perpetrators, only round-trip accommodation is provided and they have just received a down payment of IDR 2.5 million.

Furthermore, this case has been transferred to the Directorate of Drug Investigation of the Riau Islands Police for further development.