Expats involved in drug crimes<\/p>\n
By Christiani Tumelap<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A Nepalese student is currently being tried at
\nSouth Jakarta District Court on charges of possessing and
\ntrafficking heroin.<\/p>\n
Last month an Iranian was sentenced to 12 years in jail after
\nhe was found guilty of possessing 155 capsules of heroin. He was
\narrested in November at a hotel in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In April, two other Nepalese along with a Briton were arrested
\nfor allegedly smuggling and distributing 1.2 kilograms of heroin
\nworth Rp 51 million (US$20,816).<\/p>\n
Also in April, a Singaporean was arrested for allegedly
\ntrafficking 2,450 Ecstasy pills worth about Rp 90 million.<\/p>\n
The amount of foreigners allegedly involved in drug-related
\ncrimes was quite high in the first six months of this year, City
\nPolice Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said last month.<\/p>\n
He said at least 25 foreigners were arrested in the period
\nbetween January and June for alleged involvement in the drug-
\nrelated crimes.<\/p>\n
"The arrested foreigners were from various countries,
\nincluding African nations, Britain, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan,
\nand Singapore," Hamami said.<\/p>\n
Out of the 25 arrested foreigners, 17 were believed to be
\ninvolved in smuggling or trafficking Ecstasy pills, heroin and
\nmarijuana.<\/p>\n
Nine were from African countries, including Cameroon,
\nEthiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa.<\/p>\n
First Lieutenant IM Pande Cakra of the City Police Foreigners
\nSupervision department supported Hamami's remark, saying that
\npolice were striving to boost supervision of ill-behaved
\nforeigners.<\/p>\n
Pande said the number of Africans involved in drug-related
\ncrimes has increased this year.<\/p>\n
"Drug-possessing Africans that were arrested were mostly
\ncouriers. They were not the masterminds behind the business," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Excluding foreigners, Indonesian police have actually been
\nvery busy handling local traffickers.<\/p>\n
At least 129 drug dealers and 25 users were arrested in
\nJakarta during the first three months of this year alone. Despite
\nthe many arrests, police are not sure whether they have captured
\nthe big fish.<\/p>\n
In the widely publicized court hearings of Zarina, an actress
\nfound guilty of possessing 29,677 Ecstasy pills, there were no
\nclues to a drug syndicate as police had earlier suspected.<\/p>\n
The death of Rifardi in early 1994 at the home of actress Ria
\nIrawan in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, which was believed to be
\ncaused by an overdose of Ecstasy, sparked another investigation
\ninto a suspected drug syndicate -- but the case was closed
\nwithout any major findings.<\/p>\n
With the involvement of foreigners, police are now facing even
\na larger problem.<\/p>\n
A source at National Police Headquarters said that Indonesia
\nstarted becoming a target market for drug dealing in South East
\nAsia in 1993.<\/p>\n
According to the source, Indonesia was previously considered
\nonly as a transit point in the delivery of heroin, marijuana or
\nother drugs from the "golden triangle" areas of Thailand, Laos
\nand Myanmar to Australia and other countries.<\/p>\n
Pande said Indonesia became a target market country for
\nparticular drugs, like marijuana and heroin, and was a very
\npromising market for the third-grade heroin Putauw.<\/p>\n
Pande said foreigners looked at Indonesia as a fast-growing
\ncountry with an open investment policy which offered great
\nbusiness opportunities, including drug trafficking.<\/p>\n
He said crimes by foreigners was partially a side effect of
\nthe country's open investment policy.<\/p>\n
Many people come here and spend their money quite easily
\neither as businessmen or tourists, Pande said.<\/p>\n
Many foreign tourists take advantage of the visa-free or
\nshort-stay visa facilities given to them by working at companies
\nor nightspots or by committing crimes, ranging from fraud to drug
\ntrafficking, he said.<\/p>\n
There was no limitation on those who might enter the country,
\nexcept those who are on immigration and police blacklists, Pande
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"The absence of limitations hinders immigration officers and
\npolice from tightening the control and supervision of
\nforeigners," Pande said.<\/p>\n
He expressed concern over the uncooperative nature of some
\nlocal people who were reluctant to inform police of foreigners
\nemployed at their companies or staying at their homes.<\/p>\n
"Some of them do that on purpose to avoid taxes on
\nforeigners," Pande said.<\/p>",
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