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Airport Officials Arrested in Drug Bust
Zaky Pawas | April 29, 2010

Police displaying 15.3 kilograms of ketamine allegedly smuggled into Soekarno-Hatta with help from immigration officials. (JG Photo/Safir Makki) Police displaying 15.3 kilograms of ketamine allegedly smuggled into Soekarno-Hatta with help from immigration officials. (JG Photo/Safir Makki)
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Two immigration officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport were arrested on Monday for allegedly aiding a suspected Indian drug smuggler bring in Rp 15 billion ($1.67 million) of ketamine into the country, the Jakarta Police confirmed on Wednesday.

“Two immigration officers were arrested for assisting the suspect as the drugs managed to go through the baggage check without any problems,” said Sr. Comr. Anjan Pramuka Putra, narcotics chief at the Jakarta Police.

The alleged smuggler was identified as Narayanasamy Bhaskaran, and the immigration officials as Herry Pranowo, 33, and Lukman, 39.

Bhaskaran had disembarked from a flight from Bangkok and was changing flights in Jakarta on Monday on his way to Surabaya, East Java, Anjan said. Lukman and Herry were believed to have helped Bhaskaran process his visa.

While Bhaskaran was at the airport immigration counter, the immigration officers took care of the suspected smuggler’s baggage claim, Anjan said.

Police said both Lukman and Herry managed to get the suspect’s luggage out of the baggage line, but the bag was stopped by a customs officer after it had been screened by X-ray. The officer then demanded the bag be opened for inspection.

According to police, 15.3 kilograms of ketamine wrapped in aluminium foil were found in the bag. Customs officers confiscated the ketamine and arrested Bhaskaran, who then said the immigration officials had helped him for a Rp 6 million fee.

Anjan said further investigations had revealed that this was not the first time Lukman and Herry had been involved in such an incident, with police suspecting the pair of having previously helped another Indian drug smuggler in exchange for bribes.

“Their names had become quite popular with international drug trafficking rings. If anyone was having any problems, they could just call both of them,” Anjan said.

According to Anjan, the ketamine, which is used as a medical-grade anesthetic and can be synthesized for use as a hallucinogen, fetches about Rp 1 million per gram on the street.