Couple arrested for producing Ecstasy pills<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested a husband and wife on Friday for
\nallegedly producing Ecstasy pills at their residence in a police
\nhousing complex in Jelambar subdistrict, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Police confiscated thousands of Ecstasy pills and three
\nmachines used in the manufacture of the drug from the couple's
\nhome.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis confirmed the
\narrests on Sunday, saying the two suspects were identified as 30-
\nyear-old Tommy and his 23-year-old wife Ita, who is seven-months
\npregnant.<\/p>\n
The suspects are being detained at city police headquarters
\nfor further questioning, Lubis said.<\/p>\n
He said police detectives also found and confiscated from the
\nsuspects' house chemicals used to produce Ecstasy, 500 grams of
\nshabu-shabu, or crystal methamphetamine, and Rp 16 million in
\ncounterfeit money in Rp 50,000 denominations.<\/p>\n
The suspects' illegal activities were uncovered by police
\ndetectives after intensive surveillance of the suspects' house.<\/p>\n
\"To locate the suspects, police collected information from
\nthose already jailed for narcotics offenses,\" city police
\ndetective chief Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo was quoted by Sinar
\nPagi daily as saying.<\/p>\n
Police suspect a member of the Armed Forces (ABRI) worked with
\nTommy and Ita in producing the drugs because police found an Army
\nuniform in the suspects' closet -- claimed by Tommy to belong to
\none of his friends.<\/p>\n
\"I believe Tommy and Ita have accomplices, including possible
\nsupport from military personnel for their business.<\/p>\n
\"We'll build the case and investigate the possibility (of the
\ninvolvement of ABRI members),\" Alex said.<\/p>\n
Tommy and Ita rented a house in a police housing complex to
\nhelp cover their illegal activities, apparently believing nobody
\nwould suspect an ecstasy laboratory would be located in a police
\nhousing complex.<\/p>\n
Alex said the couple, who married two months ago, could
\nproduce between 2,000 to 3,000 Ecstasy pills a day and earn Rp
\n300,000 to Rp 400,000 from the drugs, which were sold by dealers
\noperating in discotheques and other nightspots.<\/p>\n
The couple allegedly mixed Ecstasy with additional chemicals,
\nbelieved to contain some psychotropic substances.<\/p>\n
By adding additional chemicals, the suspects could produce
\nbetween five to 10 pills from the original Ecstasy.<\/p>\n
\"Tommy and his wife made real but fake Ecstasy pills,\" Alex
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Tommy is suspected to be a member of a large drug syndicate
\nwhich has a wide network in the country and is closely linked
\nwith syndicates in other countries.<\/p>\n
However, Tommy said he began to produce Ecstasy in his home
\nlast year after a friend gave him the machines.<\/p>\n
Ita denied involvement in her husband's illegal business.<\/p>\n
\"We just got married. I don't know much about my husband's
\nbusiness,\" Ita said.<\/p>\n
Police said Ita attempted to flush packages of Ecstasy down
\nthe toilet when police raided the house. (emf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/couple-arrested-for-producing-ecstasy-pills-1447893297",
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