Pubdate: Wed, 20 Apr 2005
Source: Advertiser, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 Advertiser Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1

AFP HAD TO ACT: KEELTY

INDONESIAN authorities had to be alerted about a suspected drug ring 
involving Australians because of co-operational agreements, Australian 
Federal Police (AFP) commissioner Mick Keelty said today.

Mr Keelty defended the AFP against criticism it had exposed nine young 
Australians to the death penalty when it alerted overseas authorities about 
the alleged drug syndicate.

Australia co-operated with its Asian neighbours on issues such as tourism 
and terrorism and could not have "conditional co-operation" when it came to 
drugs, he said.

"If you're going to co-operate on tourism, if you're going to co-operate on 
sexual servitude or child sex tourism, you can't do so and not co-operate 
on drugs," Mr Keelty said.

"People who are criticising the AFP are doing so without having a total 
understanding of the way the AFP operates and the benefits that are 
happening here in Australia."

The nine Australians were arrested after allegedly being caught with more 
than 11kg of heroin during an airport drug swoop and a follow-up hotel raid.

Four alleged drug mules were detained with heroin packs, weighing between 
2.5kg and 3.3kg, taped to their bodies at Denpasar airport departure 
lounge, waiting for a flight to Sydney.

A fifth person also was detained at the airport after being removed from a 
Sydney-bound flight and four others were taken into custody after a hotel 
raid where 350g of heroin allegedly was found.

Four of the nine are expected to escape charges that attract the death penalty.

Australian Council for Civil Liberties yesterday criticised the AFP for the 
tip-off, saying those on or about to board the plane should have been 
arrested in Australia, where they could not be executed.

Mr Keelty said that did little to disrupt the production of heroin in Asia.

"For many years the AFP and other agencies around the world only ever got 
the tourists coming into the country," he said.

"The reality is that does little to disrupt the efforts of organised crime."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth