Bali Authorities Arrest Ukrainian Woman with Nearly 2 Kilograms of Synthetic Stimulant
Denpasar, Bali – Indonesian authorities arrested a 21-year-old Ukrainian woman, Kateryna Vakarova, on August 3 at Ngurah Rai International Airport after discovering nearly two kilograms of a synthetic stimulant in her luggage. Customs officers detected suspicious packages during an X-ray scan of her suitcase upon arrival from Poland.
The substance tested positive for 1.99 kilograms of 4-Chloromethcathinone (4-CMC), a Category I narcotic in Indonesia. Police Commissioner Tri Kuncoro of the Bali narcotics Agency (BNNP) stated this marks the first instance of this particular drug being found on the island.
Vakarova reportedly claimed the drugs were not hers, stating she acted as a courier.authorities suspect the 4-CMC, also known as “blue safir,” was intended for sale within Bali’s foreign user community due to its relatively high cost. The drug, similar to cathinone found in the khat plant, is typically consumed by dissolving it in water.
Investigators believe Vakarova may have been recruited by the international drug trafficking network known as the Golden Crescent, operating across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of Asia. “She was likely tempted by the money. This was her first time coming to Bali,” said tri.
Vakarova faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison under Indonesia’s strict narcotics laws. The inquiry is ongoing.
Indonesia maintains some of the world’s harshest drug laws, with penalties ranging from lengthy imprisonment to the death penalty. The country’s drug trade is estimated at Rp66 trillion (USD 4.3 billion), fueled by a large population and an estimated 3.4 million drug users,according to a National Narcotics Agency (BNN) survey – approximately 180 out of every 10,000 individuals aged 15 to 64 are classified as addicts.
