Indonesian customs agents arrest 10 Iranians in major drug bust

Jakarta - Customs agents seized methamphetamine worth up to 10 million dollars and arrested 10 people, a senior official said Wednesday. Two men and eight women from Iran, aged between 24 and 59, were arrested on Monday and Tuesday at Jakarta's international airport.

They arrived on four different flights from Malaysia, Qatar, and Syria, Customs director-general Anwar Supriyadi said.

The state-run Antara news agency quoted Supriyadi as saying the arrests began when custom officers stopped a man and two women arriving on a Malaysian Air flight from Kuala Lumpur, and seized 9.8 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.

Agents eventually seized a total of 26.8 kilograms and 22.8 litres of crystal and liquid methamphetamine, locally known as "shabu-shabu," worth estimated up to 102 billion rupiah (10.7 million dollars), he said.

"This is the biggest catch ever," Supriyadi said, adding that the drugs were hidden in food containers and in bottles of shampoo, soap and porcelain cleaners.

Nine of the suspects, believed to be members of a Middle Eastern drug ring, were being held by the national police. One other man was hospitalized after a suicide attempt.

If found guilty of smuggling second-class drugs into the country, the suspects could face a maximum 10 years in prison, Supriyadi said.