Drug case numbers getting higher<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
Despite the heavy prison sentences being handed down, the number
\nof drug cases heard by the Tangerang District Court has continued
\nto rise over the past seven years, a court official says.<\/p>\n
Tangerang District Court chief Zaenal Arifin told The Jakarta
\nPost the number of drug cases heard by the court had steadily
\nincreased since 1998.<\/p>\n
\"In 1998, this court tried only 20 drug cases and that number
\nrose to 57 in 1999,\" Zaenal said recently.<\/p>\n
He said 2000 saw a significant increase in the number of drug
\ncases to 158. And the figure has continued to go up to 191 in
\n2001, 272 in 2002, 232 in 2003 and 354 in 2004.<\/p>\n
\"As law enforcers, we will never compromise with drug abusers
\nand we will continue to hand down harsh punishments to those
\ninvolved in the drug business,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Tangerang District Court is known for coming down hard on
\ndefendants standing trial on drug charges. The court has
\nsentenced over 20 people to death for drug charges.<\/p>\n
Suprapto, a judge who has sentenced nine drug traffickers to
\ndeath, said capital punishment only provided a deterrent to drug
\ntraffickers.<\/p>\n
\"It seems death sentences imposed on drug traffickers have
\nfailed to prevent young people from using drugs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the number of cases of drugs being smuggled through
\nSoekarno-Hatta International Airport have dropped over the past
\ntwo years.<\/p>\n
Airport customs and excise chief Nofrial told the Post the
\ndecline might be the result of harsher punishments being given to
\ndrug traffickers.<\/p>\n
\"In 2003 we foiled three drug smuggling attempts involving
\nAbdulrahman M. Aljammaz, a Saudi Arabian, Sibel Yalvac, a Dutch
\nwoman, and Marco Archer Cordova Moreira, a Brazilian man,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
There were two drug smuggling cases in 2004, involving
\nBrazilian Rodrigo Gulartes and Indian Gurdip Singh, both of whom
\nare on trial at the Tangerang District Court.<\/p>\n
Aljammaz attempted to smuggle in 2,647 benzodiazepam pills,
\nwhile Sibel Yalvac was caught carrying 4,862 ecstasy pills from
\nKuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
According to data from the airport's customs and excise
\noffice, between January 2000 and December 2002 officials foiled
\nsome 25 drug smuggling attempts, most involving heroin.<\/p>\n
Drug cases tried at the Tangerang District Court<\/p>\n
No Year Cases Total<\/p>\n
Drug Use Trafficking<\/p>\n
1 1998 13 7 20<\/p>\n
2 1999 50 7 57<\/p>\n
3 2000 126 32 158<\/p>\n
4 2001 156 35 191<\/p>\n
5 2002 225 47 272<\/p>\n
6 2003 265 58 325<\/p>\n
7 2004 231 123 354<\/p>\n
Total drug cases tried 1,377<\/p>\n
Source: Tangerang District Court<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/drug-case-numbers-getting-higher-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }