"There are 266 drug dealers and 79 drug users which become suspects," Jakarta Police’s spokesperson, Senior Commissioner Endra Zulpan, said in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He further revealed that the operation targeted 51 people and all of them were successfully arrested.
The operation, which sought to eradicate drug trafficking, took place from November 16–30, 2022. During the operation, police officers also confiscated narcotics of various types as evidence.
The seized drugs included 13.07 kilograms of methamphetamine, 147.22 kilograms of marijuana, 2,088 ecstasy pills, 229,759 dangerous drugs, 119.01 grams of synthetic tobacco, and 1.17 liters of liquid narcotics.
The suspects have currently been detained for further investigation to determine the big dealer who controlled the drug dealers.
The suspects have been charged under Article 114 paragraph 2 subsidiary Article 111 paragraph 2 subsidiary Article 115 in conjunction with Article 132 paragraph 1 of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics.
As stipulated in the article, the suspects face punishment ranging from life imprisonment to a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of death.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Indonesian Police chief, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, ordered the National Police's Internal Affairs Division (Propam) to question Inspector General Teddy Minahasa to identify potential ethics breaches in connection with a drug case against him.
"I have asked the Propam chief to conduct an ethics hearing, which may end with a dishonorable discharge," he said.
According to the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Minahasa was allegedly involved in the trade of around 5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.
At least 1.7 kg of the illicit drugs were traded in Kampung Bahari, while around 3.3 kg were confiscated by police, director of the Jakarta Police's Narcotics Division, Sen.Coms.Mukti Juharsa, informed.
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers as a significant number of its working-age population has become trapped in a vicious cycle of drug abuse.
According to a report by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), at least 50 Indonesians die of drug use daily in the country. However, this statistic has failed to deter drug use in the country.
The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs come from different communities and socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
In February 2021, for instance, West Java Police's Internal Affairs Division (Propam) arrested 12 police officers for allegedly consuming narcotics.
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 the drug trade in the country is estimated to have reached nearly Rp66 trillion.
the smuggling of illicit drugs by drug kingpins over the past few decades, the Indonesian government has continued to apply harsh punitive action against them.
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Translator: Fianda S, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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