BADUNG, Bali — What began as a problem at an immigration autogate at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport ended with officers finding cocaine hidden inside a foreign traveler’s passport.
The traveler, identified only by the initials JFD, was attempting to leave Bali for Kuala Lumpur on an AirAsia flight on Thursday, September 24, when the automated immigration gate failed to process the departure.
Immigration officers approached to assist and carried out a closer inspection of JFD’s travel documents.
That inspection led to an unexpected discovery.
Officers found a suspicious substance concealed inside the passport and referred the traveler to Ngurah Rai Customs for further checks, immigration authorities said.
“JFD was found carrying cocaine concealed inside the passport while preparing to depart for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on an AirAsia flight,” Ngurah Rai Immigration Office chief Muhamad Novyandri said Friday.
Customs officers then searched JFD’s belongings and tested the substance.
Authorities said it was confirmed to be 0.2 grams of cocaine.
A urine test carried out during the examination also returned a positive result for cocaine use, according to immigration officials.
But the drug discovery was not the only irregularity officers found.
A Second Passport Raises More Questions
Immigration records showed that JFD had entered Indonesia just five days earlier, on September 19, using an Irish passport and a Visa on Arrival.
When attempting to leave the country, however, JFD presented a South African passport.
Authorities did not immediately explain why two passports from different countries were being used for entry and departure, or provide further details about JFD’s citizenship status.
Immigration officials stopped the traveler from boarding the Kuala Lumpur flight.
JFD and the seized evidence were subsequently handed over by Immigration and Customs to police at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport for further investigation.
Novyandri said the case showed how the airport’s automated immigration system can lead officers to conduct additional checks when irregularities arise.
“The JFD case demonstrates the reliability of the autogate and immigration control systems at immigration checkpoints, particularly at Ngurah Rai International Airport, allowing us to respond quickly to indications of legal violations,” he said.
Immigration authorities said they would continue coordinating with Customs, police and other agencies responsible for security and law enforcement at the airport.
The case is now being handled by Ngurah Rai Airport Police.
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