HORTA SAID DRUGS SMUGGLING TO TL FROM AFRICA

Tempo Semanal - Dili, 24/10/2012

Former East Timor President (Photo Ted Mcdonnel)

East Timor Prime minister who just swearing in as Minister for security and Defense praise PNTL capacity in regard to combat drugs trafficking  in the country. “I can say Start with the existing effort in regards to the drugs matter,” said Xanana minutes after his swearing in as Minister for Defense and security in Presidential palace this afternoon.

Since 18-20 of October 2012 the Timorese police has arrested four Indonesian and one South African who are involved smuggling in drugs to East Timor through Air silk from Singapore. On Saturday Tempo Semanal exclusively cover the arrival of a checked luggage from Singapore which sent to an Indonesian who was arrested by the Timorese authority.

In the mean time East Timor police commissioner DR. Longuinhos Monteiro decline to comment on the details but he has promised to announce it tomorrow about the drugs dealers arrested in dili.

“Well I will do public announcement tomorrow at HQ, at 12.00. So you can see all the evidence and including the suspects.

According to Tempo Semanal sources said the Timorese authority will hand over these drugs dealers to Indonesian authorities. The source said because East Timor laws very weak to dealt with the issue. Longuinhos response that, “It’s under discussions. It’s internationals circuit so we will discuss later.”

While former east Timor President Jose Ramos Horta after participated in the Xanana's inauguration to Tempo Semanal said, “the problems of Drugs in Timor Leste, it is one hundred present smuggling in from as far away as south Africa, India and Singapore and Indonesia to Timor Leste. The problem is the drugs are put in suite cases and there were suit cases are transit in Singapore or Jakarta which they don’t check, they check people who passengers. “

He continues, “There for our national police according to what heard from our prime ministers who is also minister of security in coordination with Interpol as well as Singaporean and the Indonesian police also police in the region to be extra careful looking also at the luggage that check trough to East Timor. Because the drugs are primarily from south Africa as well as from parts of Asia smuggling to Timor Leste. “

“Unfortunately for the drugs dealers they know that the Timor Leste has the most benevolent justice system in the entire region. They know that we don’t have death penalty and we don’t even have life in prison. While they afraid Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia they that if they caught with drugs it’s a minimum sentence.  It doesn’t mean we are changing the law. It should means that since we have benevolent liberal laws then we must be extra vigilant at the ports, at airports, customs immigrations to screen out particularly hand luggage and check luggage,” said ramos Horta.