One of the suspects had reportedly died after attempting to flee by jumping from the third floor of the Taya Ban garage in Tanjungpinang.Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - Personnel of the National Drugs Agency have arrested three couriers carrying some 80 kilograms of methamphetamine and 120 thousand ecstasy pills.
One of the suspects had reportedly died after attempting to flee by jumping from the third floor of the Taya Ban garage in Tanjungpinang.
All three suspects, who were part of an international drug syndicate, had packed the contraband inside cat food containers that were then hidden inside a tire, Deputy Chief of the National Drugs Agency Arman Depari stated during a press conference at the agencys Tanjungpinang office on Friday.
"Ed, Id, and Sn are members of an international network and were being tracked by our officers for a few days. Sn was pronounced dead after receiving treatment at the hospital following his escape attempt," he revealed.
Depari further explained that the illicit goods were smuggled by the suspects from Johor Baru, Malaysia, into Sugi Islands in Karimun Regency. The drugs were then transported to the Riau Islands capital using a speedboat.
The suspects thereafter planned to smuggle the contraband into Batam and distribute them to Jakarta, Surabaya, and Makassar via courier services, but the officials detected their activity before they could execute their ill-advised acts that led to their arrest in the Taya Ban garage on Thursday afternoon.
"We have taken 80 kilograms of methamphetamine placed in 71 packages and 120 thousand ecstasy pills into custody, all of which were hidden inside a car tire," he remarked.
The former Riau Islands Police chief noted that the case is still being investigated.
The agency will conduct further investigation on the owners of the illegal goods that were carried by the suspects.
"We are in the process of investigation and will move the suspects along with the evidence to Jakarta," he added.
According to the Indonesian law on drugs, the three suspects are liable to face death penalty.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
