The Jakarta Police's drug raid operations, conducted between January and early August, exposed rampant drug trafficking activities still underway amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, Jakarta Police Chief Inspector General Nana Sudjana stated here on Monday.
Early this week, the South Jakarta Metropolitan Police officers had arrested four drug couriers, allegedly belonging to the Sumatra-Java drug ring, and confiscated 160 kg of dried marijuana and 131 kg of crystal methamphetamine.
Those running drug trafficking operations currently tend to smuggle their drug packages in large volumes. Sudjana revealed that they no longer smuggled illicit drugs in grams but rather in kilograms.
The Jakarta Police has worked incessantly for cracking down on those involving in drug offences to realize a “drug zero” condition in the capital city. The city police officers uncovered 12 to 20 drug cases daily, he remarked.
Domestic and transnational drug dealers perceive Indonesia as a potential market based on its vast population and millions of drug users. Drug trade in the nation is valued at nearly Rp66 trillion.
Individuals from all sections of society are falling prey to drugs, regardless of socio-economic and professional backgrounds.
The drug crisis has also engulfed those from the country's entertainment industry, as is apparent from the arrests of several entertainers over consumption and also trade of illicit drugs.
In the face of the grave threat posed by drug lords, National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Chief Commissioner General Heru Winarko sought capital punishment for those involved in drug trade in the country.
National Police Chief General Idham Azis recently highlighted that district courts in different parts of Indonesia had awarded capital punishment to at least 100 drug offenders in the first half of 2020.
"May they soon be executed by firing squads to deter others," he stressed while bearing witness to the National Police special task force’s move to destroy 1.2 tons of crystal methamphetamine, 35 thousand ecstasy pills, and 410 kilograms of marijuana in Jakarta on July 2, 2020. Related news: Six held for allegedly smuggling drugs in cargo truck
Related news: Several hundred kilograms crystal meth seized in BNN's truck raid
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Translator: Laily R, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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