DENPASAR — Customs officers at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport intercepted an Argentine national attempting to smuggle cocaine into the island on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. The woman, identified by the initials GE, was caught carrying 323.76 grams of the illicit substance, hidden in a highly discreet manner.

Ngurah Rai Customs spokesperson Bowo Pramoedito confirmed that the white powder was tested and identified as a Type I cocaine narcotic. “For now, both the evidence and the Argentine citizen have been handed over to the Bali Provincial National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) for further investigation,” Bowo stated in a press release on Wednesday, March 26.

Authorities revealed that the 46-year-old woman, who claimed to be a hairdresser, smuggled the drugs using a vaginal insertion method. She had traveled from Mexico and made a layover in Dubai before arriving in Bali. GE admitted that she was acting as a courier and had been promised a payment of $3,000 for delivering the package.

The bust resulted from intelligence monitoring of passengers aboard Emirates flight EK368 from Dubai to Denpasar. Suspicious behavior led customs officers to direct GE to a special inspection lane upon her arrival. A thorough body search confirmed the presence of the concealed drugs.

Investigators believe GE was not acting alone and suspect she was scheduled to meet a recipient in Bali. A joint task force between Ngurah Rai Customs and the Bali BNNP is now working to uncover the wider drug network linked to this smuggling attempt.

“Ngurah Rai Customs remains committed to protecting Indonesia from the threat of drug smuggling by tightening surveillance at entry points and strengthening cooperation with relevant agencies,” Bowo emphasized.

Authorities continue their investigation to track down all parties involved in the smuggling operation.