Antara News·Indonesia·Friday, September 25, 2026 at 02:49 PM

Bali immigration finds cocaine hidden inside foreigner's passport

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Dewa Ketut S W, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Badung, Bali (ANTARA) - The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office in Badung, Bali, stopped a foreign national with dual passports from departing after the person was found carrying 0.2 grams of cocaine at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.

"The cocaine was hidden inside his passport," Ngurah Rai Immigration Head Muhamad Novyandri informed on Friday.

He said the foreign national, identified as JFD, was preparing to depart for Kuala Lumpur on an AirAsia flight on Thursday (September 24).

JFD initially encountered difficulties while using the automated immigration service, or autogate, at the international departures terminal.

Immigration officers stationed nearby approached him to provide assistance.

However, officers discovered a suspicious object while inspecting his passport.

Novyandri said the case was subsequently handed over to Ngurah Rai Customs and Excise for further examination, including a luggage inspection and urine test, which confirmed the substance was 0.2 grams of cocaine.

A urine test also confirmed that JFD had used the illicit substance, he added.

Further examination of his travel documents found that JFD held two passports, one issued by Ireland and another by South Africa.

According to immigration data, JFD entered Indonesia on September 19, 2026, using his Irish passport under a visa on arrival (VoA).

However, he is suspected of attempting to deceive immigration officials by using his South African passport to leave Bali, as the document was not registered in Indonesia's immigration system. The autogate detected the passport because it had not previously been recorded in the system.

The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office subsequently delayed JFD's departure and, together with Customs and Excise officials, handed him and the evidence over to the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Police for further legal proceedings.

Novyandri said his office would continue strengthening immigration oversight through coordination with relevant agencies.

"A reliable immigration system not only checks travel documents, but also ensures that every protection policy truly benefits the public," he said.

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