The reward recipients are Adjunct Commissioner Arif Purnama Oktora, head of the West Jakarta Metropolitan Police's Narcotics Unit, along with several of his anti-drug squad personnel, including First Inspector Anggoro Winardi.
"Cops should remain brave and not hesitate to protect our country and people from the dangers of drug abuse and addiction," Deputy Chief of the West Jakarta Metropolitan Police Precinct Adjunct Sen. Coms. Rusdy Pramana Suryanagara stated here on Tuesday.
A drug raid operation was conducted at a residential area in Lebak Bulus neighborhood, South Jakarta, on Aug 12, which led to the arrests of M, 49, and AM, 31, and confiscation of a liquor bottle containing marijuana. However, during that time, one of the suspects assaulted a cop.
The police officers, who launched the raid, were also accused of being "fake cops" on social media platforms, but they could maintain their high levels of professionalism in handling the drug case, he stated.
The rewards were bestowed to offer encouragement to all police officers to continually improve their performance in serving the people.
"The police must be part of the solution to tackle public problems, especially those related to law enforcement," he noted.
Domestic and transnational drug dealers have remained persistent and grave threats to Indonesia since they perceive the country 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.
People from all sections of society are falling prey to drugs regardless of their socio-economic and professional backgrounds.
Those from the country's entertainment industry have also been siphoned into this drug crisis, as is apparent from the arrests of several entertainers over consumption and also trade of illicit drugs.
In the wake of the serious 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.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Devi NSR, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
