3.6 kilograms of suspected liquid cocaine found in bottles at Bali airport

Badung — A 36-year-old Brazilian woman identified by the initials TCDS was arrested at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Oct. 6 after officers found about 3.6 kilograms of suspected liquid cocaine concealed in seven bottles of personal-care products in her suitcase.

The arrest followed her arrival at the airport’s international terminal from Brazil. A joint team from the Bali Police Narcotics Investigation Directorate and Ngurah Rai Customs and Excise inspected the luggage after customs officers became suspicious. Police said the seized substance weighed 3,659.9 grams gross.

Why the Ngurah Rai arrest matters to Bali visitors

The case shows how Indonesian authorities are scrutinizing foreign arrivals and personal luggage at Bali’s main international gateway. For a foreign resident or visitor, the practical point is that products presented as shampoo or other toiletries may be examined when officers suspect they conceal prohibited substances; being carried in a personal suitcase does not remove the risk of arrest or prosecution.

Authorities said the cocaine had been converted into liquid form and disguised in seven bottles to avoid detection. The woman was taken to the Bali Police Narcotics Investigation Directorate for further examination. Investigators were also examining the source of the substance, the people allegedly connected to its shipment and its intended destination in Bali.

The reported arrest is a new development in an earlier account of the case: the latest details identify the substance as liquid cocaine, specify the seven bottles and place the arrest at Ngurah Rai Airport after the passenger arrived from Brazil.

Sources

• The Jakarta Post — established national news organisation
• detikBali — established regional news organisation
• berita.liputan6.com
• prokalteng.jawapos.com
• suarasurabaya.net
• article.wn.com