Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - The Papua police have arrested two drug users at two different locations in the Abepura area of Jayapura, the capital city of the Indonesian province of Papua, for drug possession on Monday, a police spokesman said.

The two suspects told the police investigators that they got several packages of crystal methamphetamine from an inmate of the Doyo Baru Narcotics Prison in Sentani, the Papua provincial police spokesman Senior Commissioner Ahmad Kamal, said here on Tuesday.

The first suspect, identified as Maikel alias Koko, was arrested at around Youtefa area along with four small plastic packs of crystal meth and a bong (pipe used for smoking the drug) while Acan was captured in Kotaraja area, he said.

Indonesia remains under serious threat from drug dealers, as several individuals from its working-age population get trapped in a vicious circle.

The National Narcotics Agency`s (BNN`s) report that some 50 Indonesians die of drugs everyday has yet to deter drug users in the country to stop consuming the addictive substances.

The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs can be any of the community members from distinct socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Indonesia undoubtedly is perceived by both local and trans-national drug dealers as one of their potential markets in Southeast Asia due to the existence of its millions of drug users and huge population.

According to Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the former coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs, the value of drug trades in Indonesia is estimated to have reached at least Rp66 trillion, of which 75 percent may be directed from inside the prison.

In response to the real threats of illicit drugs that the drug kingpins smuggled into and traded in the country over the past few decades, the Indonesian government continues to apply harsh punitive actions against them.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo had even ordered the police and BNN officers to conduct a shoot-at-sight operation on drug kingpins.

Reporting by Evarukdijati
Editing by Rahmad Nasution

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018