Of the four suspects, three identified as EDL (32), YZ (23), and IZ (22), were apprehended at a hotel in the Batu Layar neighborhood of West Lombok District on May 28.
The other suspect, ME (37), was arrested in East Lombok District on May 29, West Nusa Tenggara Police Drug Division Director Sen. Coms. Helmi Kwarta Putra Rauf remarked.
ME, a resident of Dompu District, is a recidivist, who controlled the trafficking of the crystal meth package, smuggled from Aceh Province, Rauf noted here on Monday.
During the drug trafficking operation, EDL served as the drug courier, while YZ and IZ were the recipients, he revealed.
ME has been charged for violation of Articles 112 (2) and 114 (2) of Law No. 35 of 2009 on Narcotics under which he can be awarded capital punishment.
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, as several individuals from its working-age population have gotten engulfed into a vicious circle.
The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) report of some 50 Indonesians dying of drug use daily has failed to deter drug users in the country from consuming these banned substances.
The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs come from different communities and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
In February 2021, the West Java Police's Propam had placed in detention 12 cops, including the chief of the Astanaanyar district police precinct, on grounds of allegedly consuming a narcotics drug.
Hence, Indonesia is perceived by both domestic and transnational drug dealers as a potential market due to its vast population and millions of drug users. The value of drug trade in the country is estimated to have reached nearly at least Rp66 trillion.
In response to the smuggling of illicit drugs by drug kingpins and traded in the country over the past few decades, the Indonesian government continues to apply harsh punitive action against them.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo had also issued shoot-at-sight orders against drug kingpins.
However, this has failed to deter drug traffickers, who continue to treat Indonesia as one of their key markets even as Indonesian law enforcers continue their fight against them.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Dhimas BP, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
