New type of drug arrives in Bali by post - Jakarta Post

New drug: Vicky Adi Priono, the suspect in the smuggling of 102 "Love Drug" pills looks on as an officer shows off the confiscated blue pills to journalists. BD/Zul Trio Anggono
Customs officers at Renon Post Office have circumvented the delivery of a new type of drug into Bali.
The drug, methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), which is similar to ecstasy, was sent via the Indonesian postal system (Pos Indonesia) in a package resembling a document.
Head of customs service and monitoring at Ngurah Rai International Airport, I Made Wijaya, said that it was the latest drug trafficking method found in Indonesia.
"This has never been done before," said Wijaya on Wednesday.
Customs officers and Bali Police personnel nabbed Vicky Adi Priono, 27, when he collected the package at the Jl. Kediri post office in Tuban on Monday morning.
The package, addressed to Nia Christian, contained 102 MDA pills. The blue pills are also known as the "Love Drug" and are claimed to improve sexual pleasure. Although resembling ecstasy, the effects of MDA are believed to last longer, for six to 10 hours, rather than three to six.
Vicky, who works for a private company, said he was told by his friend to pick up the package.
"I didn't know it was a drug. She told me it's just a letter," Vicky told the media.
Vicky said that he had been willing to collect the package because he was a good friend of the person named on the package. The drugs arrived at Renon Post Office from the Netherlands on July 23.
"There's a possibility that the name and address on the package are false. We need to follow up," said Wijaya.
It took six days to apprehend Vicky.
"We examined the package first at the customs laboratory in Surabaya," said Wijaya.
MDA is marketed at Rp 450,000 (US$43.70) per pill. Thus, the confiscated package is worth Rp 45.9 million.
According to article 113 (2) of Law No. 35/2009 on drugs, Vicky, who originates from Surabaya, may face the death penalty for his involvement.
Last month, custom officers at Ngurah Rai airport also caught two foreigners, Nicolas Lottefier, 38, from Belgium, and David Alexandre Guigues, 30, from France.
Both arrived in Bali on AirAsia. Lottefier allegedly brought 11.37 grams of hashish worth Rp 6.822 million in his backpack and was caught on June 19 after disembarking a flight from Bangkok.
Meanwhile, Guigues allegedly smuggled 0.79 grams of marijuana worth Rp 474,000 from Kuala Lumpur and was caught on June 13.
Both are currently being legally processed at Bali Police headquarters.

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