Police arrest suspects, drugs still sold<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The City police uncovered 160 drug cases and arrested 191
\nsuspected drug users and dealers in Greater Jakarta from Feb. 24
\nto March 22.<\/p>\n
Of the suspects, 113 were categorized as drug dealers.
\nHowever, none of the cases of these suspects, five of whom are
\ncollege students, have reached the courts.<\/p>\n
The police also seized 7,418.6 grams of marijuana, 382.7 grams
\nof heroin, 5,596.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 3,464
\necstasy pills and 845 barbiturate pills over this period.<\/p>\n
Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdullah, the deputy chief of detectives for
\nthe Jakarta Police, said during a press conference on Monday the
\npolice considered three of these cases as being the most
\nimportant.<\/p>\n
The first concerns Obi Jadu Christopher Chidozie, a Nigerian
\nwho was arrested at the Aston Hotel in Central Jakarta on March
\n2. He was arrested with 1,110 grams of liquid heroin, 71.5 grams
\nof brown heroin, 20.3 grams of white heroin and 49.5 grams of
\nother drugs.<\/p>\n
\"We consider the arrest a success because our officers managed
\nto seize the evidence and the criminal, who is an expatriate,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The second main case was the arrest of Sutrisno Karjo Usodo,
\nalias Nick, on March 11, along with his wife Elly Roth. The
\npolice seized four grams of crystal methamphetamine from the
\ncouple.<\/p>\n
Nick earlier had been sentenced to 12 years in jail by the
\nSouth Jakarta District Court after being found guilty of
\npossession of drugs with an intent to sell. He had been arrested
\non May 2, 2000, in possession of 590 grams of crystal
\nmethamphetamine, 1,863 ecstasy pills, four grams of marijuana, an
\nFN 45 gun and seven bullets.<\/p>\n
He escaped from Salemba Penitentiary on Jan. 19, 2002.<\/p>\n
The third main case involves Malaysian national Roje Juan
\nLinggam, who was arrested by customs and excise officials and
\npolice officers at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on
\nMarch 12.<\/p>\n
The police seized 4,500 grams of crystal methamphetamine which
\nthe suspect allegedly was attempting to smuggle into Jakarta from
\nChina. The drugs were discovered hidden inside decorative lamps.<\/p>\n
The head of the city police's narcotics unit, Sr. Adj. Comr.
\nCarlo B. Tewu, said drug use by Jakartans had reached dangerous
\nlevels.<\/p>\n
\"The target of our next operation will be users and dealers in
\nevery penitentiary across Greater Jakarta, state offices and
\nother institutions such as schools and colleges,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to the officer, the operation at schools and
\nuniversities will have three stages -- prevention, punishment and
\nrehabilitation.<\/p>\n
Despite the arrests made during this latest anti-narcotics
\noperation, there are still areas of the city where drugs remain
\neasily obtainable.<\/p>\n
In Pondok Aren, Tangerang, buying marijuana is almost as easy
\nas buying candy at a kiosk.<\/p>\n
\"At least five marijuana dealers operate freely here. For
\njust Rp 5,000 (50 US cents) you can buy a baggie of marijuana,\"
\nNico, an unemployed 21-year-old local resident, told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
\"Each baggie is enough to make three marijuana cigarettes. If
\nyou pay Rp 20,000, the dealer will give you a discount by letting
\nyou grab a handful,\" said Nico, who has been smoking marijuana
\nfor seven years.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-arrest-suspects-drugs-still-sold-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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