The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) in Bali has arrested a prison guard at the Kerobokan Penitentiary for allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs into the prison. The BNN has also arrested an inmate on suspicion of suborning the guard to smuggle the drugs.

The prison guard, identified only as MT, 27, was arrested on Saturday morning when he was attempting to smuggle 590 ecstasy pills into the prison. The pills were hidden inside 20 sachets of coffee.

“This case shows that a drug ring still exists inside the prison,” BNN Bali chief Brig. Gen. I Putu Gede Suastawa told the media on Monday.

Suastawa said that MT had been targeted following his alleged involvement in the prison drug ring. MT was told by an inmate, identified as SA, who is serving a five-year sentence for drugs offences, to deliver the drugs into the prison.

“MT was told to bring in the drugs by SA. He should have been paid Rp 3 million [US$212] for bringing the drugs into the prison. He was paid Rp 500,000 but did not get the rest of the promised money,” Suastawa said, adding that the payment was wired to MT’s bank account.

Both SA and MT have been charged under Article 114 of Law No.35/2009 on drugs, which carries a maximum penalty of death.

The BNN further revealed that the drug ring was connected to someone inside a prison in Madiun, East Java.

Jakarta Post