La Derecha Diario An Argentine woman in Indonesia could face the death penalty for trafficking cocaine.
The defendant stated that she had been promised a payment of $3,000 once she delivered the cocaine in the country
A 46-year-old Argentinian woman was arrested at Bali's international airport in Indonesia, accused of acting as a mule. The arrest occurred after customs officials discovered she was concealing 323.76 grams of cocaine in her genitals, a crime that in that country can be punished with the death penalty.
The detainee will remain in custody as the judicial process advances. Indonesia, considered the largest economy in Southeast Asia, has extremely severe anti-drug laws, with penalties ranging from 5 to 20 years in prison, to life imprisonment or execution by firing squad.
Meanwhile, a British citizen was also arrested as part of the same investigation. The case reportedly began with an intelligence tip-off that alerted the National Narcotics Agency.
As a result, officers seized nearly 324 grams of cocaine that the woman was transporting in her body upon arriving this Tuesday at Bali's Ngurah Rai international airport from Dubai.
According to Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat, head of Bali's narcotics agency, the accused stated during interrogation that she had been promised a payment of 3,000 dollars once she delivered the cocaine.
The Argentinian citizen also revealed that she had received the drug in Mexico from a man of British origin, according to Sudrajat's statements.
As a result, the British national was arrested. Authorities suspect he might be a low-ranking link within the distribution network.
Reportedly, the man was captured in a guesthouse located in the Kerobokan neighborhood, within the Badung district, on the same Tuesday the Argentinian was detained at the airport.
Drug trafficking in Indonesia
Sudrajat pointed out that in that country it is known that drug trafficking organizations often target tourists in Bali's busiest areas.
"We are still conducting the investigation to uncover the international cocaine network in Bali and stop its distribution," Sudrajat stated.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime warns that, despite having some of the most severe drug laws, Indonesia remains a key point for drug smuggling, partly because international cartels seek to target its young population.
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