Bali

Arrested Australian Denies Having Led Heroin Syndicate
Thursday, 21 April, 2005 | 01:56 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Denpasar, Bali:Andrew Chan, 21, an Australian arrested by the Bali Police in possession of 10.9 kilograms of heroin together with his eight friends, denied that he had led the heroine syndicate.

Via his lawyer, M. Rifan, Chan said that he was only arrested because his name was mentioned by other suspects in the heroin trafficking case. Rifan said that Chan had strong alibi in the case.

“When he was arrested on the plane, he did not have a single gram of the heroin that was seized in his hands,” stated Rifan on Tuesday (19/04).

Regarding the police statement that they had seen Chan chairing meetings of the heroin syndicate, Rifan said that this allegation could only be revealed in the investigation.

Bali Police spokesperson High Comm. Raniban said that Chan was welcome to deny any of the charges against him.
However, Raniban said, the testimonies of the witnesses would determine how much Chan had been involved in the case.

The police, he added, was optimistic that the arrest was made based on strong evidence and data and would not be useless.

On Sunday (17/04), the Bali Police arrested four members of a drug trafficking syndicate at Ngurah Rai airport, Bali, as they were heading to Australia.

During the search, the police found 10.9 kilograms of heroin hidden in parts of the suspects’ bodies, such as thigh, stomach and back.

Those arrested at the airport had the initials of SME, 28, who was arrested with 3.3kg of heroin, MWC, 20, with 2.4kg, SAR, 20, with 2.5kg and LR, 33, with 2.7kg.

Following these airport arrests, the police arrested another four people in Melasti Hotel in Kuta, Bali.
While searching these four, TDTN (23), SYC (30), MS (29) and MCN (19), the police found another 350 grams of heroin.

According to Raniban, the police are yet to name the suspects in this drug case.

“Based on existing regulations, the time limit is three times 24 hours. We will then announce the names of the suspects officially,” said Raniban.

The questioning is being conducted with the aim of unraveling more about this syndicate’s network.
Another Australian citizen, Schapelle Leigh Corby, 27, is now facing charges at the Denpasar District Court for allegedly smuggling 4.2kg of marijuana.

She could receive the death sentence or 15 years in prison should she be proven guilty in the case.
(Rofiqi Hasan-Tempo News Room)