In conversation with journalists here, Tuesday, North Sumatra Police Chief Insp. Gen. Whisnu Hermawan Februanto stated that 610 suspects were apprehended for drug trafficking cases, while 103 were arrested for consuming illicit drugs.
He highlighted that on account of the drug seizures, the police could save at least 1.6 million people in North Sumatra from getting dragged into drug abuse and addiction.
During the period from January 1 to September 16, 2024, the local cops confiscated 600 kg of crystal methamphetamine, he remarked, adding that much of the seized drugs had been destroyed.
He urged members of local communities to support the police's war on drugs by informing cops about those involved in drug trafficking operations in their neighborhood areas.
As reported earlier, drug lords still perceive Indonesia as a potential market due to its vast population and millions of drug users. The value of drug trade in the country is estimated to have reached about Rp66 trillion (around 4.3 billion US dollars).
Hence, Indonesia has seen drug addiction spiral into a life-threatening problem for millions of its people.
Vice President Ma'ruf Amin alone marked the UN Day in 2021 by drawing the collective attention of Indonesians to the grave threat posed by drug crimes to the country.
Amin cited the results of a survey conducted by the BNN and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), which has pegged the number of drug users in Indonesia at 3.4 million.
Referring to the survey, Amin noted that around 180 of every 10 thousand Indonesians, aged between 15 and 64 years, have fallen prey to drug addiction.
He warned that the nation is not only seeing a vast number of drug users in the productive age group but is also being challenged by massive drug trafficking operations.
"Drug trades have reached villages and are involving women and children, who are becoming drug couriers as well as users," he stated.
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Translator: M.Sahbainy N, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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