Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Lew Keng Wah, a Malaysian drug trafficker, was gunned down when he grabbed a gun from an Indonesian police officer inside a car in Jakarta, as he attempted to flee.

"The suspect, a Malaysian national, Lew Keng Wah, died after trying to snatch a gun from a police officer in the car. First, the bullet hit the cars windshield. Then, another police officer witnessing the fight, helped by stopping the suspect," Inspector General Boy Rafli Amar, spokesman of the National Police, said in a short text message here on Saturday.

The Indonesian police arrested Lew Keng Wah and an Indonesian citizen identified as Sardiyanto, alias Yangke, in the parking lot of Mall of Indonesia, Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

Lew Keng Wah is listed as one of the most wanted fugitives because he had controlled the smuggling of drugs from Malaysia into Indonesia.

He and Yangke were also part of a drug syndicate of the Aceh group, which had networks in Indonesian penitentiaries, such as those in Salemba, Bulak Kapal and Gunung Sindur, the police spokesman said.

Lew Keng Wah was killed while on the way to Bekasi, West Java, when he was taken by the police to meet another suspect.

During his attempt to escape, he tried to grab one of the officers guns. Another policeman then shot him in the chest.

He was rushed to the Police Kramat Jati hospital, but he died before reaching the hospital.

In the meantime, police in Dumai, Ria Province, Sumatra Island, seized two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine that had been smuggled from Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Dumai police on Friday arrested S alias A, the courier who came from Langkat District, North Sumatra, while carrying drugs on a bus traveling from Dumai heading for Medan, North Sumatra.

S had reportedly smuggled the drugs from Malaysia into Dumai using a speedboat.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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