The suspects were apprehended in a series of raids across Jakarta and surrounding areas in July and August, Chief of the Jakarta Police's Narcotics Division, Senior Commissioner Ahmad David, said on Friday.
He explained that the syndicate had been operating for about four months and used Chinese tea packaging to smuggle crystal meth.
The traffickers also relied on a "drop point" system — leaving packages at designated locations to avoid direct handovers, David said.
The police operation began in early July following a public tip-off. On July 10, officers arrested three suspects — identified only as SA, DE, and AW — at a rented house in West Jakarta. During the raid, police seized 11 kilograms of meth hidden inside a modified vehicle compartment.
On July 31, three more suspects, AD, DM, and MM, were captured in South Tangerang and South Jakarta. Officers confiscated 35 kilograms of meth packed in gold-colored Chinese tea bags, also concealed in a modified vehicle.
The seventh suspect, Z, was arrested in East Jakarta on August 12. His detention led to the discovery of 1.02 kilograms of meth stashed in a motorcycle seat.
The meth was believed to have originated from Iran and China, shipped via Malaysia before entering Indonesia through Sumatra and transported overland to Jakarta, David said.
The seven suspects have been charged under Articles 114 (2) and 112 (2) of Indonesia's 2009 Narcotics Law, which carry the death penalty, life imprisonment, or a maximum of 20 years in prison.
To curb the drug trade, Jakarta Police are also stepping up monitoring of narcotics sales via e-commerce platforms and social media, David added, reaffirming his division’s commitment to cracking down on drug trafficking, which he said poses a serious threat to Indonesia's younger generations.
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Translator: Luthfia MP, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Anton Santoso
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