The suspects, only identified by their initials DCW and PMS, were nabbed in Cibinong and Depok, West Java Province, respectively, South Jakarta Metropolitan Police Chief, Sen. Coms. Bastoni Purnama, told a press briefing here.
DCW was arrested at his home in Cibinong city, Bogor District, along with five kilograms of dried marijuana and 0.55 grams of crystal methamphetamine, while PMS was apprehended at his home in Cilodong, Depok city, he said.
The police investigators seized 19 kilograms of dried marijuana, packed in two cardboards, from PMS' house, he said.
Both DCW and PMS told the police investigators that they would be paid Rp150,000 per kilogram of marijuana that they sold.
The two offenders are charged with Indonesia's anti-drug law, and may be sentenced to 20 years in jail, 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.
According to the National Narcotics Agency's (BNN's) report, some 50 Indonesians die of drug use daily. But, their deaths have failed to deter other 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. Related news: Indonesian police bust Malaysia-Pekanbaru-Jakarta drug ring
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Translator: Laily R, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Gusti Nur Cahya Aryani
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
