An Italian student was arrested in Bali over allegedly using tobacco laced with a type of synthetic psychoactive substance, referred to in Indonesia as “japa-japa.”
The Italian, identified in reports as Jan Andrea Gentilini, was targeted after police got a tip that there was a foreigner using drugs in the area. The 25-year-old was reportedly arrested a friend’s home in Kerobokan, in a housing complex on June 30—but police didn’t announce the arrest until late last week.
“Police arrested the (Italian) student in a house located in Badung Regency of the North Kuta area, Bali,” Denpasar Police Narcotics Unit Chief Wayan Arta Ariawan said on Saturday, as quoted by Antara Bali.
During the arrest, police say they found a pack of the tobacco, weighing 0.45 grams in the man’s bag.
“The drug consumed (by Gentilini) is japa-japa tobacco. After examining, we found that this tobacco was classified as narcotics. Hence, we arrested the user for questioning,” Ariawan explained.
During questioning, the Italian said he bought the japa-japa for Rp 100,000 per pack by a dealer, who remains at large. The Italian told police he had been using japa-japa for the past two years and did it three times at the house he was arrested at, Ariawan said.
“Ajapa japa tobacco could cause a hallucination effect to those who use it,” the Jakarta Post quoted Ariawan as saying.
The newspaper reported that the effects of the drug have been described as similar to those of marijuana—but 10 times stronger.
Japa-japa has been known by Indonesian authorities from as early as 2014, when it was identified as a type of narcotic by BNN.
The Italian will be charged under articles 112 and 127 of the 2009 Narcotics Law, which have a maximum 12 year prison sentence, police said.
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