The suspects violated Law No. 35 of 2009 on narcotics.Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA) - Five people suspected of trafficking 141 kilograms of hashish in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan may be sentenced to death, according to an official of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).
"The suspects have violated Law No. 35 of 2009 on narcotics," BNN Deputy Head for Eradication Inspector General Arman Depari noted here on Friday.
The five suspects, identified by their initials as MA, ZFK, SWT, SA, and SMD, are all residents of Medan City.
A team of BNN personnel arrested the five suspects along with 141 kilograms of hashish at two different locations in Medan on Wednesday night (Nov 11) after receiving a tip-off. The hashish was sent to Medan from the neighboring Aceh Province.
During the raid, the BNN team apprehended MA, aboard a motorcycle on the Flamboyan Raya Street, and seized five kilograms of hashish from him.
The BNN team later conducted further investigation at Gudang Kapur, Asam Kumbang, Medan Selayang Sub-district, Medan, which led to the finding of 136 kilograms of dried hashish buried underground and the arrests of five other suspects.
The BNN team also seized a motorcycle and several mobile phones as evidence.
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers that view the country as a potential market. The value of drug trade in Indonesia is estimated to have reached at least Rp66 trillion.
President Joko Widodo 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 the fight by Indonesian law enforcers against them wages on.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Munawar Mandailing/Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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