Thai citizen arrested at Soekarno-Hatta Airport for attempted drug smuggling

TangerangCustoms officials at Soekarno-Hatta Airport have arrested a 26-year-old Thai national with the initials KW for attempting to smuggle drugs into Indonesia. The arrest took place on August 1, when KW arrived on a flight from Damascus to Cengkareng and landed at International Arrivals Terminal 2F.

Gatot Sugeng Wibowo, head of the customs office at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, said on Thursday that KW was carrying a white handbag and a suitcase. Her suspicious behavior prompted customs officials to conduct a thorough investigation.

At first, KW resisted the investigation, claiming her belongings contained only souvenirs. However, officers became more suspicious when they discovered irregularly packaged electronic cigarettes (vapes) hidden in food packaging. A thorough search in a designated examination room found 11 packs of collagen supplements, nine packs of various candies and 110 vape cartridges.

Lab tests confirmed that 10 packages of collagen supplements contained MDMA, methamphetamine and nimetazepam and weighed a total of 183.9 grams. Another package of collagen supplements tested positive for MDMA and weighed 3.82 grams. 133.44 grams of cocaine was found in the nine candy packages. The e-cigarettes contained etomidate, a substance known for its addictive properties. KW’s urine test was also positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine.

KW claimed the items were given to her by a friend and were to be picked up at a hotel in West Jakarta. However, when authorities launched an undercover operation, the intended recipient never arrived. KW and the seized items were handed over to Soekarno-Hatta Airport police for further investigation.

In addition to KW’s case, customs officials also arrested a 39-year-old Indonesian national, MNH, and a 26-year-old Malaysian national, HAD, in two separate drug smuggling cases. The combined evidence from these cases includes 287.29 grams of methamphetamine, 133.44 grams of cocaine, 1,623 ecstasy pills and 3.82 grams of MDMA crystals.

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