Local residents should not overlook any drug offences occurring in their neighborhood areas, Head of the BNN-Southeast Sulawesi Office Brig. Gen. Sabaruddin Ginting stated.
"Sometimes, the world looks so cruel. The cruelty is not caused by the bad people, but the silence over that by the good people," Ginting noted in Kendari City on Wednesday.
To this end, families having members, who are drug addicts, can send them to the BNN-owned rehabilitation center or public health centers that serve them free of charge, he remarked.
Ginting highlighted the importance of active involvement of locals to break the chain of drug crimes in neighborhood areas.
The community members are aware of the real situation in their respective neighborhood areas, he remarked.
"Hence, we encourage them to join in the efforts to stop drug crimes in their neighborhood areas by working closely with both local BNN and police officers," he stated.
The BNN continues its endeavors to crackdown on drug lords by conducting raids across Indonesia. In addition, the agency strengthens its prevention efforts.
In Aceh, the BNN has roped in street performers busking in cities in the province to join in its efforts to raise public awareness of the dangers of drug addiction.
"The buskers become the volunteers of our public awareness campaign. They are propagating the message of -- say no to drugs -- to the local people," BNN-Aceh Office Head Heru Pranoto affirmed.
Through the illicit drug prevention messages echoed by the buskers, increasingly more number of people will become aware of the dangers of drugs, Pranoto noted recently.
The buskers send across these valuable messages while performing at cafes that aim to change for the better the people's mindset on drug prevention, according to Pranoto.
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 punitive 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 main market, prompting Indonesian law enforcers to step up vigil against them.
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Translator: M.Harianto, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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