The number of narcotic drug users in Jakarta had remained high because surveillance of potential drug users was weak.Tangerang, Banten (ANTARA News) - The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) said Jakarta is still the region in Indonesia with highest number of narcotic drug users.
"The number of narcotic drug users in Jakarta reaches 250,000," BNN spokesman Sumirat Dwiyanto said when asked about matter after attending a function to mark Mother`s Day at Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University here on Thursday.
He said the number of narcotic drug users in Jakarta had remained high because surveillance of potential drug users was weak. The constant influx of people from various regions into the capital had made it difficult to maintain intensive surveillance efforts.
"The discovery of residential houses being used as narcotic drug warehouses or for transactions so far only shows that surveillance is still weak," he said.
He said the BNN along with the police and regional governments however would continue their efforts to make the country narcotics-free by 2015.
In 2003 the number of narcotic drug users in the country reached 3.2 million or 1.5 percent of the population. In 2008 it rose to 3.6 million or 1.99 percent of the population and in 2010 to 2.21 percent and this year to 2.2 percent of the population.
"We estimate that by 2015, the number will reach 5.1 million or 2.8 percent of the population. But if the figure then proves to be lower than expected, it means Indonesia can be free of narcotics," he said.
He said BNN was trying to appeal to narcotic drug users to join in its rehabilitation program.
"If they would report as users and are ready to participate in our rehabilitation program, we will help them and waive legal sanctions. However, if they are caught by police, they will be penalized," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
