The arrested suspects are only identified by their initials as ZK (40), MZ (45), and MM (30), while the other suspect is still on the run, Lhokseumawe City Police Chief Adjunct Sen. Coms. Eko Hartanto stated.
The suspects, who hail from North Aceh District, were arrested at two locations. ZK and MZ were apprehended in Krueng Pasee Village, Samudera Sub-district, while MM was arrested at a house in Muara Batu Sub-district, he remarked.
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The local cops seized 2.38 kg of crystal meth from ZK and MK and 87.18 grams of crystal meth from MM, he noted in a statement that ANTARA quoted here Friday.
ZK and MZ told police investigators that they had obtained the drug package from MI, who vowed to pay them Rp2 million for selling the sabu-sabu, he stated.
The manhunt for MI is still underway, he said, adding that police investigators had charged the suspects under Articles 114 (2) and 112 (2) of Indonesia's 2009 Narcotics Law.
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If found guilty of the drug offenses, they may receive life sentences and are obliged to pay a fine of Rp10 billion, he remarked.
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, with scores from its working-age population trapped in a vicious circle of drugs.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which struck the country on March 2, 2020, drug lords have continued to pose a serious threat to the country, with drug-trafficking rampant even amid the health crisis.
Since his first leadership term, President Joko Widodo has constantly reminded the nation of the grave impacts of drug consumption on Indonesia.
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The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs come from different communities and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
Citing the result of a survey by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Vice President Ma'ruf Amin stated that there were over 3.4 million drug users in Indonesia.
The survey indicated that some 180 out of every 10 thousand Indonesians in the age group of 15 to 64 years were pushed into drug addiction, he noted.
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Translator: M.Haris SA, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
