"We will follow up on such reports immediately so that the distribution of drugs can be prevented."
Kupang (ANTARA News) - The East Nusa Tenggara police have stepped up efforts to detain suspected individuals entering the region to prevent the infiltration of any drug dealer networks in the province, a police official said.

"I have directed my staff, particularly intelligence officials, to make the early detection of drug distribution networks more intensive," the chief of the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) provincial police, Brigadier General Police Ricky HP Sitohang said here on Monday.

Sitohang also pointed out that East Nusa Tenggara`s geographical location allows open access via the sea, air and land transportation routes.

As a number of administrative borders of districts in the Timor mainland are situated very close to Timor Leste, the porous border needs safeguarding against the possibility a drug syndicate`s entry into the area.

"Our country shares borders with Timor Leste in the Belu, North Timor, Tengah and Kupang districts, which makes these areas very vulnerable and in need of special attention," Sitohang explained.

The inter-island borders at the west end of the Flores Island can also become a central point for gaining access by a drug network, he added.

Earlier, four members of a Timor Leste dealer syndicate selling methamphetamine and known locally as "sabu-sabu," were arrested by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) in Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara after they tried smuggling five kilograms of drugs.

The four suspects were arrested by the BNN team in Kupang on Wednesday at around 1:00 a.m. local time.

They have been identified as SA, ES, MT, and HS. They were arrested while trying to ship sabu drugs from Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, to Malaysia. The suspects reportedly made six trips to Dili to pick up the drugs.

Sitohang stated that everyone in the country should work towards drug eradication, including the public.

He also urged members of the public to immediately report any such transaction or drug trafficking taking place throughout the East Nusa Tenggara region, to local authorities, so that they can take the necessary action.

"We will follow up on such reports immediately so that the distribution of drugs can be prevented," Sitohang said.
(T.KR-LWA/INE/KR-BSR/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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