18 arrested in drug den bust

JAKARTA (JP): The city police late Wednesday arrested 18 teenagers, including a pregnant girl, for allegedly consuming shabu-shabu, the local name for the crystal methamphetamine, during a raid at a house believed to be used as a drug den in West Jakarta.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang told reporters on Thursday that the owner of the house, identified as Mami (Mrs.) Veni, 40, was still at large.

During the raid in the Jelambar Baru area, police also seized dozens of Ecstasy pills, several syringes, 200 grams of shabu- shabu, and a spiral device used to consume the drugs, Aritonang said.

Among the 18 arrested teenagers were three girls, one of them Veni's daughter, 16-year-old Ida Aisha, who is seven months pregnant.

"Police received information from Veni's neighbors, who have long suspected that Veni was supplying drugs to teenagers. These teenagers often come to her house," officer Aritonang said.

During the evening raid, nine of the youths were already under the influence of the drug, according to police.

The youths, aged from 16 to 22, were all detained by city police for further investigation.

"The parents of minors involved will be invited to attend the questioning, and they will be returned to their parents while police continue the legal procedures," the police spokesman said. (emf)