When they were raided, they were carrying 10 packs of crystal methamphetamineBanjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The South Kalimantan police thwarted two suspected drug couriers' attempt to trade some 11.318 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine at Duta Mall in Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan Province, on January 13, 2021.
The suspects, only identified by their initials SF (37) and ZL (41), were caught red handed along with 10 packs of crystal meth, Chief of the South Kalimantan Police's Criminal Investigation Directorate, Sen.Coms.Niko Irawan said.
The provincial police's anti-drug squad personnel received a tip-off about a possible drug trafficking operation. They then followed up the tip-off by launching a week-long probe, he was quoted by ANTARA as saying here Sunday.
They successfully uncovered it by arresting SF and ZL while they were still inside a car, being parked at the shooping mall's first floor parking area, Irawan said.
"When they were raided, they were carrying 10 packs of crystal methamphetamine," he said, adding that the police investigators are still striving to uncover the suspects' drug trafficking networks.
The suspects told the police investigators that they were just ordered by someone who would take the illicit drug package. If they successfully handed over the package, they would be paid, Irawan said.
Due to their failure in the drug trafficking operation, the person who ordered them to hand over the package might have run away, he added.
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, who consider the country a potential market. The value of drug trade in Indonesia is estimated to be 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 taken harsh punitive action against drug kingpins found smuggling and trading drugs in the country over the past few decades.
According to National Police chief, General Idham Azis, district courts in different parts of Indonesia have 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 said 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 has also issued shoot-at-sight orders against drug kingpins.
However, this has failed to deter drug traffickers, who have continued to treat Indonesia as one of their main markets, prompting Indonesian law enforcers to tighten vigilance against them.
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Translator: Firman, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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