"Most of them are repeat offenders."Surabaya (ANTARA News) - The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) in East Java managed to uncover a narcotics distribution ring after the organisation received information from a suspect who was arrested earlier at Surabaya`s Juanda Airport.
BNN`s East Java chief, Brigadier General Iwan A Ibrahim, said seven suspects have been arrested in connection to the case.
These suspects are members of a network that serves markets in Batam and Medan in Sumatra, Jakarta, Surabaya, South Sulawesi and East Kalimantan.
Investigations were carried out after IF, a resident of Samarinda, was arrested at the Juanda Airport on January 14, when he was going through the Screening Check Point I at the departure terminal, Iwan said.
IF was about to board GA 352, a plane that was flying from Surabaya to Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.
The suspect tried to escape by making an excuse to go to a nearby toilet, he said.
Three other suspects caught in Surabaya are SN, YS and GS. Four other suspects - AM, MU, ES and DR were arrested in Lumajang, East Java, Iwan said.
"Most of them are repeat offenders. We believe there is a methamphetamine lab operating in East Java. Hence, we will tighten security in the region," he added.
He said officers had confiscated six packets of meth weighing 543 grams, 11 cell phones, eight ATM cards, a Mazda car, a motorcycle and cash amounting to Rp 4,646,000. In addition, cash held in 11 BCA accounts, amounting to Rp 5,956,793, has been frozen.
These offenders will be punished for violating regulations on narcotics and money laundering. They will be sent to prison, Iwan said.
(Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
