All drug packages bore a similar symbol "55"
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Jakarta Metropolitan Police apprehended 11 suspects for smuggling 201 kilograms (kg) of crystal methamphetamine from the Middle East into Indonesia, the Jakarta police’s spokesman, Sen. Coms. Yusri Yunus, stated.

The suspects were recently arrested at the WIR Hotel in the Petamburan neighborhood, Central Jakarta, from whom the cops seized 196 packs of crystal meth weighing 201 kg, Yunus was quoted by ANTARA as saying in Jakarta on Wednesday.

All drug packages bore a similar symbol "55", he noted, adding that police investigators believe that the Middle Eastern network is involved in the drug smuggling operation.

The drug raid operation, which resulted in the arrests of these 11 suspects, was conducted by a joint team of the National Police's Red-and-White personnel and those from the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, he revealed.

The team received a tip-off from community members that a transnational drug syndicate will smuggle crystal meth package into Jakarta, he revealed.

Referring to the symbol "55" on the drug package bags, early this year, the police's anti-drug squad personnel also seized a crystal meth package that might have also been smuggled from the Middle East into Serpong District, Banten Province.

Domestic and transnational drug dealers perceive Indonesia as 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 strata of society are falling prey to drugs, regardless of their socio-economic and professional backgrounds.

The Indonesian government has taken harsh punitive action against drug kingpins found smuggling and trading drugs in the country over the past few decades.

While National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief, Commissioner General Heru Winarko, has sought capital punishment for those involved in drug trade in the country, National Police Chief, General Idham Azis, stated that Indonesian district courts have awarded capital punishment to at least 100 drug offenders in the first half of this year. (INE)

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Translator: Asep F, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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