Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA) - Police personnel in Pinrang District, South Sulawesi Province, secured over 1.8 kg of crystal methamphetamine following the arrest of a suspected drug trafficker, identified as AM, 21, on July 28, a police officer stated.

The 1.8 kg of drug was part of five kg of crystal meth that had been transported by a drug syndicate from Nunukan District in North Kalimantan Province to Pinrang on July 25.

AM was apprehended in the neighborhood of Paleteang Sub-district along with a sachet of 41.77 grams of crystal meth that he had hidden under his watch, Pinrang Police Chief Adjunct Sen. Coms. Andiko Wicaksono remarked.

The suspect told police investigators that he had obtained the sachet from RM aged 21. The cops arrested RM and found some 1,837 grams of crystal meth inside his house in Watang Sawitto Sub-district, he noted in a statement that ANTARA quoted here, Thursday.

A pack of 950 grams of the crystal meth was packed in a Chinese tea bag and hidden underground, while another pack of 887 grams was concealed behind a rice bucket, he revealed.

According to Wicaksono, during questioning, AM and RM confessed to have obtained the drug from AG, 35, who had transported five kg of crystal meth from Nunukan, North Kalimantan, to Pinrang through Parepare's Nusantara Port on July 25.

The cops then arrested AG, but another three kg of crystal meth had been taken by BD and S. The manhunt for these two suspects is underway, he remarked, adding that BD had reportedly transported two kg of crystal meth to Palu, Central Sulawesi.

ANTARA reported earlier that according to a joint survey conducted by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in 2019, there were over 3.4 million drug users in Indonesia.

The survey conducted in 34 provinces indicated that about 180 out of every 10 thousand Indonesians in the age group of 15 to 64 years were addicted to drugs.

The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs can belong to any community and socioeconomic and cultural background.

Related news: Two South Sulawesi police officials held over drug offense
Related news: Banda Aceh High Court upholds death sentences of 12 drug offenders
Related news: SE Sulawesi: BNN nabs four suspected drug traffickers

Translator: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2023