TANGERANG ~

The Soekarno Hatta airport customs officials foiled an attempt to smuggle 13.1 kilograms of methamphetamine worth in the street at around Rp17.7 billion into the country over the past month.

Four suspects were arrested in the case, head of the airport Customs office Okto Irianto said here on Wednesday. The suspects include a Russian identified as VG (70), two Taiwanese CY (62) and LM (51).

The suspects brought the drug to the country via Hong Kong. They were believed to be couriers for an international syndicate, Okto said.

Meanwhile, the government plans to execute a death penalty for five drug convicts this month.

At least 64 other drug suspects are facing death execution as President Joko Widodo has rejected clemency. Drug dealing is categorized as extraordinary crime in the country as are corruption and terrorism, and suspects are facing the maximum punishment of death .

The government has been worried by the growing drugs cases in the country. Lawmaker Masinton Pasaribu said there were 24 million drug users in the country or around 10 percent of the country’s population of 240 million.