Angry residents threaten to burn police post

JAKARTA (JP): Angry residents of Kampung Bali threatened to burn a local police station on Tuesday after the release of two alleged drug traffickers, Rizky and Yedi, that they had caught and turned over to police.

In a bid to combat the rising drug trade, Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman encouraged civilians earlier this month to help police in their crime-fighting efforts. Civilians were permitted to arrest people they suspected to be drug traffickers and users.

Tanah Abang Police, who oversee Kampung Bali, freed Rizky on Monday evening and forced Siswanto, the subdistrict head of Kampung Bali, to accept the release, saying police found no evidence with which to charge Rizky.

"We are very disappointed with the police action and we doubt their seriousness in combating the drug problem," a resident told journalists on Tuesday, noting that Yedi had also been released earlier without their consent.

Rizky was arrested last Saturday in the neighborhood by Siswanto, following information from a drug user who said she had bought drugs from Rizky.

Siswanto has launched six raids at houses in his neighborhood believed to be used by drug traffickers and users. He arrested some of them in line with the appeal made by Noegroho.

Two of the drug users caught during a raid reportedly confessed that they bought shabu-shabu, locally made crystal methamphetamine, from Rizky. One of the users who made the confession, Nugroho Bayu, is a student of the University of Indonesia.

Tanah Abang Police chief Capt. Suwito said police could not detain Rizky longer than two days because of a lack of material evidence. "Detaining a person without clear reason is against the law," he said.

But a public prosecutor, in defense of the Kampung Bali residents, told The Jakarta Post that the police should not have released the suspect as two witnesses had implicated him as a culprit.

"Releasing the suspect may hamper the investigation into the drug case," Tonny Sinai explained.

Tonny said Tanah Abang Police should have dug out more information from Rizky about his networking. "The release is also contrary to the National Police campaign against drug trafficking," he added.

However, Central Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Timur Pradopo said that if new evidence in the case came to light the police could re-arrest the suspect. "I will ask the police subprecinct chief to detain the suspect again as soon as I am informed about new evidence," he said. (04/asa)