"We followed the suspect until he got home because we received a tip-off saying that he has frequently sold packs of crystal meth to local drug users," Chief of the Banjarmasin city police's narcotics unit, Commissioner Wahyu Hidayat, said.
Rahmat Firdaus alias Daus was nabbed at his home in Sungai Lakung Village, Kertak Hanyar Subdistrict, Banjar District, South Kalimantan Province, on November 1 at around 08.45 p.m. local time, he said.
The suspect is in police custody while the 23 small packs of crystal meth weighing 112.5 grams have been confiscated as evidence of the crime, he added.
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, as several individuals from its working-age population have been engulfed in a vicious circle.
The National Narcotics Agency's (BNN's) report of some 50 Indonesians dying daily of drug use has failed to deter drug users in the country from consuming these banned substances.
Users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other addictive drugs transcend communities and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
Hence, Indonesia is perceived by both domestic and transnational drug dealers as a potential market due to its huge population and millions of drug users. The value of the drug trade in the country is estimated to have reached nearly Rp66 trillion.
In response to the illicit drugs that drug kingpins have smuggled into and traded in the country over the past few decades, the Indonesian government continues to apply punitive measures against them.
Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, had also issued shoot-at-sight orders against drug kingpins.
However, this has failed to deter drug traffickers. They continue to treat Indonesia as one of their main markets, even as Indonesian law enforcers continue unabated their fight against them.
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Translator: Gunawan W, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
