The South Jakarta Police have arrested a United States citizen after he was caught in possession of marijuana-laced cakes and vape liquid.
The suspect, Cecoy Chevenye Burnett, was arrested on Monday evening at the Bintaro Park View apartment building in Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta, only three days after arriving in Indonesia’s capital.
South Jakarta Police Chief, Sr. Com Bastoni Purnama said police officers received a report from residents about suspected drug use in the apartment.
The police then raided Burnett’s apartment and confiscated 1 kilogram of pot brownies and five bottles of marijuana-laced vape liquid.
“We tested both the brownies and the vape liquid in the lab, and both tested positive for marijuana. The suspect smuggled the illegal substances in his carry-on luggage to avoid suspicion from airport officials,” Bastoni told the press.
Burnett arrived in Indonesia on Jan 17 from Los Angeles, California, using a travel visa.
According to Bastoni, Burnett bought the brownies and vape liquid in LA. The 27-year-old suspect, who worked in a mental health center, claimed he was unaware marijuana was an illegal substance in Indonesia.
Marijuana for recreational use is legal in California.
Burnett was charged under articles 111 and 112 of Law No. 35/2009 on narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years.
Bastoni said the police were coordinating with the US embassy and the immigration office to decide whether Burnett would be deported to the US.
“We will also coordinate with the US Drug Enforcement Administration [DEA] to investigate whether the suspect is part of an international drug syndicate and whether he has a history of drug abuse in the US,” he added.
