The suspects, identified as Joko, 29, and Wandi, 39, were arrested at two locations around Pekanbaru, Riau Province, on Oct 20 and Oct 21, 2020, Director of the National Police's Narcotics Criminal Investigation Directorate Brig. Gen. Krisno Halomoan Siregar stated.
The police's anti-drug squad personnel confiscated one kg of crystal methamphetamine packed in a golden Chinese tea bag; 1,000 Happy Five pills; and a cell phone from the suspects, Siregar was quoted by ANTARA as saying here on Saturday.
The police investigators conducted a thorough investigation into the Joko and Wandi drug case that resulted in another kg of crystal meth placed in a brown bag, 10 grams of crystal meth packed in a transparent plastic bag, 970 Happy Five pills, and a smartphone being seized, he revealed.
The case was uncovered after local police received tip-offs from residents about a drug business run from within the Pekanbaru city penitentiary, he stated, adding that the inmate running the drug trafficking operation was identified as Sugeng.
The police investigators found that Sugeng, who had links to Fendi, a drug lord believed to be staying in Malaysia, ran the operation and controlled the local drug couriers. He had sold over 100 kg of crystal meth within a year, Siregar stated.
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, who perceive the country as a potential market. The value of drug trade in Indonesia is estimated to have reached at least Rp66 trillion.
Users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs transcend communities and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
The Indonesian government has continued to take harsh punitive action against drug kingpins smuggling and trading drugs in the country over the past few decades.
National Police Chief General Idham Azis recently stated 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 witnessing the National Police special task force destroy 1.2 tons of crystal meth, 35 thousand ecstasy pills, and 410 kg of marijuana in Jakarta on July 2, 2020.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo had also issued shoot-at-sight orders against drug kingpins.
However, this has failed to deter drug traffickers, who continue to treat Indonesia as one of their main markets, even as Indonesian law enforcers continue their fight against them.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Anita PD, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
