"Just two months into 2018, a total of 2.9 tonnes of methamphetamine has been confiscated in 57 cases," Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said here on Friday. The amount of the narcotic seized during this period was much more than the last year`s entire amount, she said. In 2017, the customs agency had tackled 342 attempts of meth smuggling attempts, involving a total of 2.132 tonnes of the drug.
"This means Indonesia has been flooded by narcotic drugs. I am very sad to see such a huge amount of meth meant to be smuggled into Indonesia," she said. Mulyani added that the huge amount showed that there was a big market for the drug in the country.
Meanwhile, Indonesian police chief General Tito Karnavian said the police continued conducting covert operations to uncover narcotic syndicates trying to ship meth into the country. He said it was a joint success of the efforts by the customs and the related agencies to save the country`s younger generation from the menace of drugs. He expressed appreciation for the customs officials, who have worked closely together with the police in various efforts, including the recent seizure of a ship, which was carrying 1.6 tonnes of meth aboard, in the Riau Islands waters.
He said the police would continue to cooperate with the customs agency and the TNI (military) in covert operations as well as with the authorities in Malaysia, Singapore, and China.
Reported by Jannatun Naim
(H-YH)
EDITED BY INE/B003
Reporter: SYSTEM
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
