The crackdown on these nine suspects was conducted following a tip-off from residents that there was a delivery of marijuana packages to Palembang and Jakarta
Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) - Personnel of the Aceh police continue their crackdown on an inter-provincial drug ring in the province, as they recently apprehended nine suspects along with 194 kilograms (kg) of cannabis.

"The suspects are apprehended at several places in Aceh Province and Medan City, North Sumatra Province," Aceh Police Chief Insp. Gen. Wahyu Widada stated here on Wednesday.

They had a past criminal record of being arrested for transporting 800 kg of marijuana to Palembang, South Sumatra Province, Widada noted.

The suspects, only identified by their initials as SA, HM, FT, AK, NA, IH, MJ, MA, and IL, played different roles in their inter-provincial drug trafficking operations, he remarked.

SA functioned as a courier. He was arrested in the Padang Tiji neighborhood area of Pidie District, Aceh Province, while NA, a woman, assisted those sending the drug packages.

NA was apprehended in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra Province. Her colleague, IH, was arrested in Lhokseumawe City, Aceh Province, for transporting the cannabis packages.

In their network, IL was identified as the marijuana owner, he remarked, adding that the suspects transported the packages to Palembang and Jakarta through courier companies.

"The crackdown on these nine suspects was conducted following a tip-off from residents that there was a delivery of marijuana packages to Palembang and Jakarta," he remarked.

A joint team of police officers from the Aceh police headquarters, National Police, and Banda Aceh city police precinct followed up on the tip-off by conducting a raid operation.

The anti-drug raid operation at a courier company resulted in the discovery of 90 kg of marijuana and the arrests of two suspects, according to Widada.

The anti-drug squad personnel continued their crackdown on other members of this Aceh-North Sumatra drug syndicate by arresting seven other suspects from different places.

All the suspects are currently under police custody, pending further investigation into their drug offences.

If they are found guilty at court, they will be subject to imprisonment or death penalty, Widada added.

Domestic and transnational drug dealers view Indonesia as a potential market on account of its vast population and millions of drug users.

Drug trade in the nation is valued at nearly Rp66 trillion.

Data indicates that people from all societal levels are falling prey to drugs in the country, irrespective of their socio-economic and professional backgrounds.

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Translator: M.Haris SA, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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