The majority of the transferred inmates were incarcerated for drug-related crimes, said Rudy Fernando Sianturi, Head of the Penitentiary Division at the North Sumatra Law and Human Rights Office, on Saturday.
The transfer of these high-profile inmates to Nusakambangan is part of the office's efforts to reduce the risk of drug trafficking operations being directed from inside prisons in North Sumatra, he stated.
"This transfer of prisoners will hopefully serve as a deterrent and disrupt drug rings and other crimes committed in prison," Sianturi added.
North Sumatra ranks as the third most vulnerable province in Indonesia for drug trafficking and related crimes, according to the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).
The number of drug users in the province is estimated to account for approximately 3.06 percent of its total population.
Sianturi noted that transferring high-profile inmates to Nusakambangan prison island is also part of efforts to address prison overcrowding in North Sumatra.
As of December 23, 2024, the total number of inmates in all correctional facilities across the province stood at 23,273.
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Translator: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Anton Santoso
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