The Narcotics Investigation Directorate of the Bali Police has uncovered a cocaine smuggling case involving 1.8 kilograms of the drug, allegedly linked to a foreign national from Australia, identified by the initials LAA (43).
Inspector General of Police Daniel Adityajaya, Chief of the Bali Police, explained that the suspect smuggled the cocaine into Indonesia via an international package delivery service, concealing the drugs within stationery items and dolls.
“The modus operandi in this case involved using foreign postal services to send cocaine, which was intended for distribution in Bali,” Adityajaya told the press on Monday, the 26th of May.
Adityajaya further revealed that the drug packages were sent from the United Kingdom in two separate consignments, each addressed to different locations in North Kuta, Badung Regency, in an attempt to deceive law enforcement authorities. The packages were dispatched on Saturday, the 12th of April, and arrived in Bali on Tuesday, the 20th of May.
Upon arrival, officers from Ngurah Rai Customs carried out X-ray inspections and detected suspected narcotics within the packages. The findings were promptly reported to the Bali Police.
On the 21st of May, LAA instructed an online motorcycle taxi driver, identified by the initials YE, to collect the packages. However, due to other commitments, YE only collected the parcels on the following day (the 22nd of May).
The first package was subsequently handed over to another driver in Renon, Denpasar, for delivery to Tibubeneng, North Kuta. YE was then instructed to collect the second package.
Later that same day (the 22nd of May), officers from the Bali Police Narcotics Directorate conducted a controlled delivery operation to trace the intended recipient. At approximately 11:30 AM local time, LAA was apprehended at a villa in Gang Manggis, Tibubeneng, North Kuta District, Badung Regency.
Following the arrest, police seized evidence in the form of Class I narcotics, specifically cocaine, found within the two packages. The drugs were divided into 206 smaller packages, with a total gross weight of 1,816.92 grams. The estimated street value of the seized narcotics is believed to be around Rp12 billion.
In addition to the cocaine, officers also confiscated other pieces of evidence from LAA’s residence, including a digital scale, a bundle of plastic bags, and a mobile phone.
Adityajaya stated that, according to the investigation, LAA admitted he was acting under orders from another individual in exchange for a payment of Rp50 million. During questioning, LAA initially claimed not to know the identity of the narcotics’ owner, stating he had merely received instructions from an individual to collect and distribute the drugs in Bali.
For his actions, LAA has been charged under Article 113 paragraph (2) of the Republic of Indonesia’s Law Number 35 of 2009 on Narcotics, which carries a maximum penalty of death, life imprisonment, or a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, along with a fine ranging from a minimum of Rp1 billion to a maximum of Rp10 billion, plus one third.
The Bali Police Narcotics Directorate is continuing its investigation into the international drug trafficking network and has not ruled out the possibility of other perpetrators being involved in the operation within Bali.