36 drug suspects nabbed in operation

TANGERANG: Tangerang Police have arrested 36 suspected drug users and traffickers during a month-long operation from Aug. 10 to Sept. 12 in both Tangerang regency and Tangerang municipality.

"They will be charged under Law No. 22/1997 on drugs and Law No. 5/1995 on psychotropic substances," Tangerang Police narcotics division chief Comr. Suparno said on Monday.

During the operation, the police seized 1.3 kilograms of heroin, 5.1 grams of shabu-shabu (crystal metamphetamine), 100 grams of marijuana and 237 lexotan pills.

Suparno said 25 suspects were arrested for using and possessing marijuana while 11 others were detained for drug trafficking.

"We received tip offs from people in the community. Then we sent undercover police to pose as potential buyers during transactions with the suspects on the streets and at their homes," he said.

He added that some suspects were arrested when the police held raids on the streets in which drugs hidden in the suspects' clothes and vehicles. -- JP