"We found illegal drugs along with three suspects -- KHK (55), AK (38), and AAM (38) -- during a raid on a warehouse on Thursday, April 13, 2023," West Jakarta Metro Police Chief Senior Commissioner Muhammad Syahduddi stated on Wednesday.
Syahduddi said the police conducted the raid following the arrest of several people involved in a brawl in the West Jakarta area in April.
"Those who were arrested (in the brawl) tested positive for taking drugs containing benzo (benzodiazepine). Benzo is the content in these illegal drugs, both tramadol and excimer," he revealed.
Based on these findings, the police conducted further investigation and received information on the existence of a warehouse in Kedoya that hoarded the pills.
During the raid at the warehouse, the police found 37,418,000 tramadol and excimer pills.
Based on the police's preliminary investigation, each suspect has a different role.
Suspect AAM had a role in marketing the pills to the public, while KHK provided warehouses and helped smuggle the goods from India. Another suspect AK is the owner of millions of pills purchased from India.
Syahduddi said the police are still investigating the process of smuggling and distributing these illicit goods in the capital city, and the length of time that the warehouse has been operating.
The three suspects are subject to Law Number 36 of 2009 on health and are liable to be sentenced to 15 years in prison and an imposition of Rp1.5-billion fine.
Tramadol is a psychotropic substance and painkiller that is extensively abused the world over and it was banned in India in April 2018.
The drug was not on the list of prohibited drugs by the National Anti-Narcotic Agency (BNN), as it is not a narcotic type.
Meanwhile, excimer is an antipsychotic drug used to help people manage the symptoms of mental health conditions.
Both drugs can only be used strictly under medical prescription.
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Translator: Walda Marison, Sri Haryati
Editor: Anton Santoso
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