Jakarta. Indonesian customs officials have intercepted nearly 19 kilograms of cannabis and hashish allegedly destined for foreign nationals in Bali, uncovering what authorities believe may be part of an international drug trafficking network.

The Soekarno-Hatta Customs and Excise Office said it seized a total of 18,585 grams of marijuana and hashish in two separate operations conducted between March and June at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Hengky Tomuan Parlindungan Aritonang, head of the main customs office at the airport, said the first case involved a package shipped from the United States to Bali.

The shipment, intercepted on March 26, had been declared as “luggage” but was found to contain 10,785 grams of marijuana.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the identities of the sender and intended recipient, as well as any possible links to a wider trafficking network.

The second operation took place on June 3 at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, where officers arrested a 52-year-old Russian national identified only by the initials KK upon arrival from Bangkok on a Thai Lion Air flight.

Customs officials said KK was allegedly acting as a courier for 7,800 grams of hashish, or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), concealed inside a hidden compartment in the base of a suitcase.

Initial investigations indicate that the drugs were intended to be delivered to foreign nationals who have been living in Bali for an extended period.

“The intended recipients in both cases — the marijuana and the hashish — were foreign nationals in Bali. We are still investigating whether the two shipments are connected,” Hengky said on Wednesday.

The suspects could face severe penalties under Indonesia’s narcotics law, including life imprisonment or the death penalty.

Customs authorities have handed over the suspects and evidence to the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police for further investigation.

Tery Zakiar Muslim, director of interdiction at the BNN, said investigators believe the hashish case is linked to an international drug trafficking network.

As part of the investigation, authorities arrested another Russian national in Bangli, Bali, on June 5 and seized approximately 7.8 kilograms of narcotics.

Tery said investigators deliberately followed the trafficking network’s delivery instructions to identify additional suspects.

“They deliberately avoided air transport routes and sought to bypass airport security checks,” he said.

Authorities later arrested another Russian citizen in Denpasar who is suspected of acting as a coordinator within the network.

A third Russian national believed to be overseas has been placed on Indonesia’s wanted list for allegedly organizing the shipments.

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