19-Year-Old Brazilian Arrested for Trafficking 3 Kilograms of Cocaine in Indonesia

A 19-year-old Brazilian woman has been arrested by Indonesian authorities attempting to smuggle 3,608 net grams of cocaine and 720 net grams of a controlled substance, chlorozepam , in her luggage. The incident happened on January 1 at the Ngurah Rai international airport on the island of Bali, according to a statement released by Bali Police.

Should the woman be convicted of drug “production, importation, exportation or distribution”, she could face a sentence ranging from five years prison to life imprisonment or even the death penalty, as Indonesia’s anti-drug policy is one of the strictest in the world.

At a press conference, Bali Police Chief Putu Jayan Danu Putra explained, “Without the anticipation of the officers in the field, this three-kilo item, which is quite large, could circulate freely. At the entrance to Bali, (control) must be intensified to prevent drug trafficking” given the “increase in tourism activities” in the region.

In addition to the Brazilian, the Police reported another arrest – a 35-year-old Indonesian man apprehended last December 21 with 9.6 kilos of cannabis. He could face penalties of between five and twenty years in prison, in addition to paying a fine.