Capital punishment is part of the laws that should be imposedBanda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) - The Aceh Police destroyed 1.2 tons of cannabis, 41.98 kilograms crystal methamphetamine, 2,644 ecstasy pills, and 1,041 marijuana plants seized during a series of drug raids across the province between February and March this year.
The illicit drugs, destroyed in the yard of the Aceh police headquarters on Tuesday, had been confiscated during the drug raid "Antik I" operations, Director of Aceh Police's Narcotic Investigation Directorate Sen. Coms. Rudi Ahmad Sudrajat stated.
The drug raid operations were conducted by all police precincts in Aceh from Feb 11 to March 2, 2020, he remarked, adding that the operations also resulted in the arrests of 48 suspects.
In the event of the ongoing serious threats posed by drug lords, on Dec 5, 2019, National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Chief Commissioner General Heru Winarko discussed matters pertaining to Indonesia's war on drugs with Security Minister Mahfud MD.
One of the issues discussed was the need to execute death row convicts. "Capital punishment is part of the laws that should be imposed," Winarko remarked following his meeting with the coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs.
In fact, several death row prisoners had yet to face execution for drug-related offences. Apart from this issue, he also deliberated on several other matters, including drugs in prison.
He believes that the easiest way to deal with cases of drugs in prison was to stall communication networks inside penitentiaries to halt drug transactions.
BNN Eradication Division Deputy Inspector General Arman Depari conceded to the fact that drug trade in prisons was a persistent, questionable problem.
In fact, drug convicts serving their jail terms were able to control the trade through their drug rings, he noted, adding that several on death row, convicted of drug offences, had yet to be executed.
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, as several individuals from its working-age population have been embroiled in a vicious circle.
According to BNN's report, some 50 drug use-related deaths occur in Indonesia. However, 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 drug trade in the country is estimated to reach nearly Rp66 trillion.
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Translator: M.Haris SA, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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