BALI — Indonesian authorities arrested two Russian nationals in Bali on Friday after they allegedly smuggled hashish from Thailand. One suspect reportedly evaded police in a high-speed vehicle that struck multiple pedestrians.
The National Narcotics Agency publicly announced the arrests and seizure on Sunday. The two individuals are a 52-year-old woman, identified by the initials KK, and a 40-year-old man, identified by the initials SK.
Customs officials at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport notified authorities of a suspicious suitcase upon KK's arrival from Thailand. The woman then traveled in a rental vehicle toward East Java and entered Bali via Gilimanuk Port at approximately 3 a.m. local time.
SK collected KK and the suitcase, then dropped the woman at an undisclosed location. He later drove a vehicle at high speed to evade law enforcement and struck multiple pedestrians before being apprehended.
Police seized 7.8 kilograms of hashish. "We secured evidence in the form of hashish weighing 7.8kg gross weight, along with passports, mobile phones, and one four-wheeled vehicle." National Narcotics Agency chief Suyudi Ario Seto said.
Investigators initiated an inquiry to determine whether the suspects are affiliated with a larger criminal network. Narcotics department spokesperson Putu Putera Sadana said, "This case is still under investigation. If other suspects or additional evidence are found, we will report further developments."
Indonesian law permits the death penalty for drug trafficking offenses. The country has not carried out executions for drug offenses since 2016, when four individuals were executed by firing squad.