Singaporean woman among six held for smuggling drugs into Bali
DENPASAR, INDONESIA: A Singaporean woman was arrested in Bali for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into the tourist island.
She was paraded, hands tied, in an orange detainee uniform.
Five men from Switzerland, Thailand, Chile and Hong Kong were paraded along with her at a press conference in provincial capital Denpasar.
The customs spokesman for the Bali and Nusatenggara regional office, Mr Wachid Kurniawan, said the suspects were arrested separately since last month upon arrival at the airport.
He said the Singaporean woman was captured on Nov 14 after an immigration officer found 0.35g of cocaine inside her passport.
The amount is too small for her to face the death penalty, the authorities said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement: "The Ministry is aware of the case involving a Singaporean accused of drug offences in Bali, Indonesia.
"The Singapore Embassy in Jakarta has been in contact with the Singaporean and next-of-kin to render consular assistance."
Mr Kurniawan said the Swiss was arrested on Nov 4 with a total of 30.04g of marijuana in his luggage. Two days later, customs officers nabbed the Thai with 17.76g of marijuana concealed in his underwear.
The Chilean was nabbed two weeks later with 77.26g of liquid methamphetamine.
The Hong Konger was arrested on Dec 4 with 3.2kg of crystal methamphetamine in his luggage, and his 19-year-old fellow Hong Konger was captured last week with 4kg of crystal methamphetamine wrapped in four branded pet food packaging in his luggage, Mr Kurniawan said.
Indonesia has extremely strict drug laws and convicted smugglers are sometimes executed by firing squad.
"The law allows for a life sentence or the death penalty," said head of Bali police narcotics unit Ida Bagus Komang Ardika. - AP, AFP
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