The suspects are believed to belong to a syndicate of drug dealers in Bali, Klungkung Police Deputy Chief Coms. Luh Ketut Amy Ramayathi Prakasa stated.
IKM alias Semal, PAP alias Anjas, and AJ alias Jebing, could be sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, Prakasa noted in a press statement that ANTARA quoted here Thursday.
The Klungkung police investigators suspected them of repeated involvement in the trade of crystal methamphetamine in the resort island of Bali.
IKM and PAP are drug dealers, while AJ is a drug lord, Prakasa remarked, adding that they were all arrested in Denpasar Utara Sub-district's area, Denpasar City, on March 5.
Based on his criminal records, IKM has served jail terms for drug crimes on four instances, while AJ is a drug convict released from prison in 2019.
PAP is also a released drug convict, who has intensively assisted AJ in running his drug business, Prakasa revealed.
During the arrest, Klungkung police officers confiscated 15 small packs of crystal meth and Rp11.885 million in cash from them.
According to local media outlets, the Bali police headquarters forecast that some 50 percent of drug trade in Bali might have been controlled from the penitentiaries of Kerobokan in Badung, Bali Island, and Banyuwangi in East Java Province.
Domestic and transnational drug dealers perceive Indonesia as a potential market owing to its huge 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 in the country regardless of their socio-economic and professional backgrounds.
Over the past few decades, the Indonesian government has taken harsh action against drug barons found smuggling and trading drugs in the country.
The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has sought capital punishment for those involved in drug trade in the country.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has also issued shoot-at-sight orders against drug kingpins.
However, this has failed to deter drug traffickers, who continue to treat Indonesia as a major market, prompting Indonesian law enforcers to step up operations against them.
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Translator: Ayu KP, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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