The head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), Anang Iskandar, issued a warning to Indonesian woman today: do not date foreign men because they’ll probably turn you into a drug smuggler.

“Many Indonesian citizens, especially women, are currently in prison in other countries. It is all because of drugs,” Anang told reporters today during a ceremony at the State Palace commemorating International Narcotics Day, as quoted by CNN Indonesia.

“So do not carelessly communicate with foreigners, much less date them,” he said.

Anang said that drug traffickers often manipulate Indonesian women into getting involved with the drug trade by giving them gifts, money and affection.

“[Indonesian women] are easily tempted, they do not realize that the reason behind it is that they want to use them as drug couriers,” Anang said.

Although the BNN chief’s statements are obviously sexist and demeaning, it is true that there have been numerous cases of Indonesian women becoming involved in the drug trade after getting into romantic relationships with foreign men.

But the opposite is also true. For example, back in February an Indonesian man was arrested after a woman from Hong Kong he met online sent him a frog statue filled with 2.9 kg of methamphetamines.

Oh, and also, not all foreigners are drug smugglers!

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