Bandung, West Java (ANTARA) - Indonesian National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo affirmed that the seizure of 1,196 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine during a raid in Pangandaran District, West Java, potentially saved five million people from drug abuse.

"We have successfully saved around 5,950,000 people from the dangers of drug abuse," Prabowo stated at the Police's Intelligence Education and Training Centre, Bandung District, West Java, on Thursday.

According to the Police chief, assuming that one gram of crystal meth is consumed by five people, the seized drugs were thwarted from being distributed to around five million people and saved them from drug abuse.

Moreover, the seized crystal meth is estimated to be valued at Rp1.43 trillion (US$100.1 million), assuming each gram of meth is sold at Rp1.2 million (US$84), the police chief noted.

He urged the police leadership and officers to make all-out efforts in eradicating drug-related crimes and to take action against police officers found colluding with drug criminals.

"I instruct (drug-related crimes) to be eradicated completely. I also instruct regional police heads to fire and penalize police officers involved (in drug crimes) by imposing heavy sentences," Prabowo emphasized.

The police also arrested five people in connection with the seizure of drugs. The five suspects are SA (33), HM (41), HH (39), AH (38), and M (20), with one of the suspects being an Afghan national, he stated.

Earlier, West Java Police's Drug Crimes Detective Directorate had foiled an attempt to smuggle crystal methamphetamine in a beach in Parigi Sub-district, Pangandaran District, West Java, on Wednesday (Mar 16).

From the raid, police officers discovered drug packages in sacks concealed in a fishing boat. The police suspected that the drugs were shipped from the southern sea of West Java.
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Translator: Bagus Ahmad R, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
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