153 arrested in drug raids at N. Jakarta discotheques
153 arrested in drug raids at N. Jakarta discotheques
JAKARTA (JP): Police apprehended 153 alleged drug users in a
series of routine Kilat Jaya operations in five discotheques in
North Jakarta Saturday night, police said.
Deputy chief of the North Jakarta police precinct Maj.
Edwardsyah Pernong said the suspects were caught red-handed using
drugs such as Ecstasy, marijuana, the amphetamine derivative
shabu-shabu and heroin.
"The raid was conducted based on residents' reports that a
number of discotheques there had become hangouts for drug users,"
Edwardsyah said.
Police confiscated 70 Ecstasy pills, 12 marijuana joints
hidden in cigarette packets and 10 small packages of shabu-shabu
and heroin as well as six Mickey Mouse gambling machines.
About 275 officers were deployed to raid the five
discotheques: Diskotek 168 in the Duta Harapan Indah complex in
Penjaringan, Diskotek Bon on Jl. Teluk Gong, Diskotek 18 on Jl.
Jembatan Tiga, Diskotek Bar in Pluit and Diskotek Hal in Ancol,
all in North Jakarta.
Forensic and drug expert Mun'im Idris, who was involved in the
operation, said most of the visitors who were caught red-handed
using drugs could not deny their actions.
"With a special test kit we can check on the physical
condition of the guests," he said. "Drug users usually have shaky
hands and pale faces and their pupils are dilated."
The police also questioned some couples who were found naked
in some of the dark rooms available in the discotheques,
Edwardsyah said.
"But if they were not involved in drug cases, we will let them
go."
He said that none of the users caught in the operation were
drug dealers but further information would be obtained from the
users.
"It is very important for people to realize the danger of
using drugs," he said, adding that most of the users admitted
that they only do such things for fun.
"We will continue to crack down on places which tend to be
used by drug consumers and dealers."
Separately, Bekasi Police arrested three marijuana dealers in
Pondok Gede, Bekasi Saturday night.
The three suspects were identified as Suriyadi Yusuf, 19,
Zainuddin, 40 and Bahrul Kardan, 48.
Police confiscated four grams of heroin and five kilograms of
marijuana during the raid conducted jointly with Cikarang Police
precinct officers.
"All of the suspects are detained at Bekasi Police precinct
for further investigation," head of Bekasi Police Lt. Col. Adjie
Rustam said.
All of the suspects involved in drug abuse will be charged
under the Psychotropics Law No.5/1997, which carries a minimum
sentence of five years in prison and a Rp 50 million fine. (edt)