Gilang was arrested by the South Sumatra police's anti-drug squad in front of the Siti Khodijah Hospital, Palembang city, early on the morning of June 19, 2020, after receiving a cardboard box from an unidentified person.
Police found 240 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 12,528 ecstasy pills in the box.
During the court proceedings, Gilang admitted that he intended to sell the illicit drugs.
Last August, the Palembang District Court had sentenced drug courier Muchtar Daud to 16 years in prison for transporting one kilogram of crystal meth.
The court's judiciary panel had also ordered Daud to pay a fine of Rp1 billion in their verdict, which was lighter than the 17-year imprisonment demanded by the prosecutors.
Daud had been apprehended by South Sumatra police in Sungai Lilin sub-district, Musi Banyuasin district, last April.
Daud had confessed he had been hired by a fugitive, identified as Joe, to transport one kilogram of crystal meth from Tanjung Jaya hamlet in Meunasah Bujok village, Baktiya sub-district, North Aceh district, Aceh province, to Bandarlampung in Lampung province.
Joe had promised to pay Daud Rp55 million for transporting the drug package, but he had just received Rp5 million for transportation expenses.
Domestic and transnational drug dealers consider Indonesia a potential market owing to 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 socio-economic and professional backgrounds.
In the face of the grave threat posed by drug lords, National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief, Commissioner General Heru Winarko, has sought capital punishment for those involved in drug trade in the country. (INE)
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Aziz M, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
