"My appreciation goes to the Jakarta Police Narcotics Directorate for this comprehensive operation that ended with the arrest of both kingpins and couriers," Ahmad Sahroni said in a statement here Sunday.
Sahroni, deputy chair of the House of Representatives' (DPR's) Commission III overseeing legal affairs, said busts of this scale are crucial to breaking the drug trade's supply chain.
"Drug cases must be tackled from top to bottom. Targeting only street dealers and users will never be enough," he added.
The Jakarta Metro Police announced Friday that seven suspects had been arrested in connection with the case, including two alleged kingpins and five couriers.
The suspects -- only identified as SA, 33; Z, 50; DE, 30; ADR, 30; DM, 34; MM, 27; and AW, 35 -- were part of an international network spanning Iran, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia, police said.
The investigation began in July 2025 following a tip from the public. Police formed three teams to carry out the operation.
According to the Chief of the Jakarta Police's Narcotics Division, Senior Commissioner Ahmad David, the suspects were apprehended in a series of raids across Jakarta and surrounding areas in July and August.
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 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, the police nabbed AD, DM, and MM 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.
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Translator: Ilham K, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
