The operation, conducted from November 1–15, 2021, resulted in the confiscation of 1.74 tons of drugs and the arrests of 273 suspects in connection with 221 drug-trafficking cases, Jakarta Metropolitan Police chief Inspector General Fadil Imran informed here on Thursday.
The seized drugs included 60.14 kg of crystal methamphetamine, 1.6 tons of marijuana, 470 ecstasy pills, 24.5 kg of synthetic substances, and 500 "happy five" pills, he said.
The crackdowns on drug lords and drug dealers point to the continued threat of drug addiction and drug abuse in Jakarta, he added.
The war on drugs would be unsuccessful if it is solely carried out by law enforcement agencies, Imran said. In this regard, the role of community members in assisting the fight against drugs is important, he added.
"This is our common challenge. The war on drugs will be tougher in the future if we all are unaware of the importance of collective solidity of all elements of society at large," he remarked.
In other words, the war on drugs is not merely the responsibility of police officers, prosecutors, and judges, he said and urged communities to join efforts to save youths from drug use.
In 2020, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police destroyed three tons of illicit drugs, he said, adding that people must not ignore the ongoing threat posed by drug traffickers.
"The drug addicts need to be assisted to get recovered while drug lords must be cracked down," he remarked.
Related news: Jakarta police destroy several hundred kilos of drugs
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, with a significant section of its working-age population trapped in a vicious circle of drug use.
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 drawn attention to the grave impact of drug consumption.
Meanwhile, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has highlighted the results of a survey by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the 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 pointed out. (
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Translator: Fianda SR, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
