VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 24 - The police and immigration office in Bali arrested a Russian Interpol fugitive Andrew Ayer, alias Andrei Kovalenka, who fled from the Special Class I Immigration Office of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office on February 11.

A spokesman of the Indonesian Police Insp. Gen Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono stated that Andrew Ayer was arrested at the Seminyak II Villa on Umalas Street 1, North Kuta, Bali, on early Wednesday.

"A team of the Indonesian Police headquarters, Bali Police, and Ngurah Rai immigration office has arrested an Interpol fugitive, who is on its Red Notice list, a Russian Andrew Ayer alias Andrei Kovalenka," Yuwono remarked here on Wednesday.

Ayer did not resist the arrest.

The police also apprehended Ayer's girlfriend Ekaterina Trubkina for allegedly aiding the escape. The two were placed in detention at the immigration office.

Ayer escaped from the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office on February 11, as he was being moved to the immigration detention center in Denpasar.

Prior to that, a Russian woman named Ekaterina Trubkina had paid a visit to Ayer. She is believed to have assisted Kovalenka.

The 32-year-old was earlier serving time in the Kerobokan Prison in connection with a narcotics case. He was a drug dealer in Russia and had fled to Indonesia. The Russian police has been coordinating with the Interpol and the Indonesian Police to get hold of Ayer.

The Bali police arrested him on October 1, 2019, while he was conducting a drug transaction at a cafe in Kuta, Badung.

After serving his year-long jail term in the Kerobokan prison, Ayer was transferred to the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office on February 3, 2021, though he escaped on February 11. (Antaranews)