At Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport, customs officers detained a 21-year-old Ukrainian, K.V., who was found with two kilograms of the synthetic drug 4-chloromethcathinone (4-CMC), known as 'blue sapphire', in her suitcase.
The behavior of the passenger from Odessa seemed suspicious to security officers, and her luggage was sent for additional inspection. An X-ray scanner revealed a strange object inside the suitcase. An inspection found neatly packed white substance, confirmed as 4-CMC upon analysis.
This synthetic drug is especially dangerous: in liquid form, it can acquire a bluish tint — hence the nickname 'blue sapphire'. In dry form, it is white, yellow, or brown crystals, resembling bath salts. It easily camouflages and can be added to drinks, with effects similar to methamphetamine and ecstasy, but with a much higher risk — from acute psychosis to kidney failure, seizures, and coma. According to the National Narcotics Agency, in severe cases, death can occur within hours.
During interrogation, the detainee confessed that the drug was intended for distribution among foreign tourists. Investigators are convinced she was a courier and was not acting alone — another part of the criminal group might already be in Bali.
After the interrogation, the detainee was transferred to the detention facility of the National Narcotics Agency. Her family in Ukraine has been notified. An investigation is underway.
4-CMC has been on Indonesia's List I of banned substances since 2017. Despite this, its circulation on the black market is growing: the substance is difficult to detect, and the production cost is low, making it especially attractive to drug traffickers.
This is not the first case recently: at the airport, a citizen of Brazil and a resident of South Africa were detained with cocaine and crystalline methamphetamine.
You can add one right now!