(7/29/2011)
A 38-year-old Ugandan, Ronald Ssemanda, has been arrested for trying to smuggle 1.141 kilograms of methamphetamine into Bali concealed within his gastrointestinal tract.
The head of supervision and service for the Customs Department at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, I Made Wijaya, told Kompas.com that the accused unsuccessfully tried to bribe customs officials with US$1,000 in cash in order to avoid medical examination.
“The perpetrator tried to bribe officials to avoid being brought to the hospital for examination by X-ray and CT Scan,” explained Made at a conference press held at the Customs and Excise Office at Bali’s Airport on Thursday, July 28, 2011.
Customs officials, however, refused the bribe and entered in the proffered money into evidence.
Ssemanda, who lists his employment as a businessman, now faces the possibility of a death sentence if finally convicted of trying to illegally import a Class I narcotic into Indonesia.
He was caught as the result of a body search carried out by Customs and Excise Officials at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport on July 25, 2011. When he was brought to a local hospital for a physical examination, including scans and x-rays, 82 capsules containing 1.141 kilograms of methamphetamines were purged from his gastrointestinal system.
Officials put a street value of Rp. 2 billion (US$227,000) on the confiscated drugs.
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