The drugs—13.722 kg crystal methamphetamine, 2,200 ecstasy pills, 1.6 kg of a green powder, and 50 grams of a brown powder that is believed to be ecstasy powder—were seized from Niko Rahfika (31), a local resident, on November 9, 2021, Lubuk Linggau city police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Nuryono said.
Following the seizure of drugs at his home, Rahfika was placed under arrest.
He told investigators that he obtained the drug packages from a courier from Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province, Nuryono said in a statement that ANTARA received here on Saturday.
"The suspect received the packages from the courier about two months ago. We continue to probe the case. The suspect is a recidivist," he said, adding that Rahfika concealed the packages in a storage area behind his house.
The suspect told police that he sold the drugs in Lubuk Linggau city and the districts of Musi Rawas Utara and Musi Rawas, Nuryono informed.
The seized drugs are estimated to be worth Rp14 billion, he added.
Police have charged the suspect under Articles 114 and 112 of Indonesia's 2009 Narcotics Law. If found guilty of the drug offense, he may receive capital punishment, Nuryono said.
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Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, with a significant section of 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 remaining rampant amid the health crisis.
The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs come from different communities and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
Since his first leadership term, President Joko Widodo has constantly reminded the nation of the grave impact of drug consumption.
Meanwhile, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin highlighted the results of a survey by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), which has pegged the number of drug users in Indonesia at over 3.4 million.
The survey indicates that 180 out of every 10 thousand Indonesians in the 15-64 age group have been pushed into drug addiction, he noted.
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Translator: Muhammad RBE, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
