New heights in Ecstasy<\/p>\n
The Ecstasy menace in Indonesia is escalating to new heights.<\/p>\n
Just in the past week, immigration authorities foiled an
\nattempt to smuggle more than 70,000 pills by two Singaporeans
\nthrough Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Customs
\nofficials discovered a package containing tens of thousands of
\nthe pills at a post office in Jakarta. In Surabaya, police raided
\na house where a family allegedly ran an operation producing and
\ndistributing Ecstasy pills. They seized over 3,800 pills and 2.3
\nkilograms of a substance used to produce Ecstasy. Police in Batam
\nseized more than 4,700 pills from a syndicate involving
\nIndonesians and Singaporeans.<\/p>\n
Smugglers, producers and sellers are growing in number and
\nbecoming more daring in their methods. They are making a mockery
\nof the massive police campaign against Ecstasy.<\/p>\n
The police say their total Ecstasy haul this year has reached
\nnearly 240,000 pills, seized from traffickers, producers and
\nusers. But just like the AIDS menace, official figures represent
\nonly the tip of the iceberg. One can only imagine how many
\nhundreds of thousands, or probably millions, have escaped
\ndetection and found their way to users.<\/p>\n
The busts at the airport in Jakarta and in Batam confirmed the
\nsuspicion that international syndicates are working with local
\noperators. The sheer size of the Soekarno-Hatta bust also
\nsuggests that Indonesia is a major market for the drug. Judging
\nby the small number of Ecstasy traffickers that have been
\nconvicted here, Indonesia looks like easy prey for foreign and
\nlocal drug syndicates.<\/p>\n
While we salute the police for their tireless campaign against
\nthe abuse of psychotropic drugs, they do not appear to have the
\nsupport of other law enforcement bodies. State prosecutors are
\ndemanding light punishments for distributors. Such leniency was
\nwitnessed at a court case in Tangerang last week when prosecutors
\nsought 10 months for two men accused of distributing more than
\n60,000 Ecstasy pills. Judges appear to be a little too cautious
\nand are meting out light sentences.<\/p>\n
The absence of a strong law to deal with Ecstasy traffickers
\nis undermining the police's anti-Ecstasy campaign. Prosecutors
\nand judges who play strictly by the book are resorting to a 1992
\nHealth Law article banning the production and distribution of
\nunregistered drugs. The maximum penalty is 15 years imprisonment.
\nGiven the propensity of prosecutors and judges not to go for the
\nmaximum punishment, Ecstasy peddlers can be sure to get off
\nlightly -- if they get caught.<\/p>\n
Even the House of Representatives appears to be napping. The
\ngovernment-sponsored bill on psychotropics was submitted last
\nSeptember and legislators have yet to start deliberating it.
\nApproval of the bill would allow police to deal much more
\neffectively with the Ecstasy menace, yet it is unlikely that it
\nwill be passed before House members break for Christmas and New
\nYear's recess. House members seem to think the bill is not a
\npriority compared to the nuclear bill and the broadcasting bill.<\/p>\n
Until the House passes a law that deals more effectively with
\nEcstasy abuses, Indonesia will remain a heaven for international
\nand local drug syndicates. Strong legislation is still the best
\nand probably the only way of containing the menace.<\/p>\n
In the absence of such a law, the authorities will continue to
\nresort to desperate and somewhat unnecessary tactics, like raids
\non and closures of discotheques. While we could do without some
\nof these excessive measures, we hope the police will continue
\nwith their campaign. Even if they are going it alone, it at least
\nhighlights the grave problem our nation is facing.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-heights-in-ecstasy-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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