Bali struggles to curb thriving drug trade

By I Wayan Juniarta

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Sitting in his small office at Bali Police Headquarters, chief of the narcotic detectives division Supt. Wayan Suwena unbuttoned the top of his uniform. The artificial breeze produced by an electric fan could not defeat the boiling heat on this October afternoon.

"The temperature is so hot, and so is the narcotics business in Bali," he said, grinning widely as usual.

Hot is perhaps the most appropriate word to describe the present situation for the drug trade in Bali, with the number of drug dealers, and, of course, drug users multiplying by the year.

Shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) has become the most commonly used drug, usurping ecstasy. Economic stability and the growing number of foreign visitors have also made Bali one of the country's prime narcotics markets.

"New and fresh faces keep emerging in the drug dealing and user communities," Suwena said.

In the last three years his officers have arrested at least 317 drug dealers, 38 of them foreigners.

"It is estimated that for each dealer we catch, there are still 10 dealers on the loose," said Suwena, who has undergone training with the U.S. Federal Drug Enforcement Agency and the German federal police.

With the price of putauw (low-grade heroin) reaching Rp 400,000 per gram, and shabu-shabu Rp 300,000 per gram on the streets of Kuta, it is easy to understand that many people here now consider the narcotics business as the fastest way to get rich, if not filthy rich.

With only one kilogram of good quality heroin, a dealer could make Rp 400,000.

"And they conduct their business seriously. For instance, they use every available means to bring their stuff to Bali, from ordinary mail package, smuggling it inside statues or surfboards, even to buying a luxury yacht and using it to transport drugs to Bali," Suwena explained.

While wealthy dealers are able to employ ingenious means to safeguard their business, the police struggle with lack of funds and personnel.

"Surveillance, intelligence and undercover assignments all need a lot of time, a lot of manpower and certainly a huge sum of money. The operation cost could reach millions of rupiah for a single case. So it really makes me bitter when with all these efforts we still fail to nail the bad guys," Suwena noted.

He told of a recent operation when, with the sting operation closing in on a drug dealer, the man disappeared.

"We were so close, so very close, to the joyous moment of sending him to jail," Suwena said.

Still, the Bali Police have done relatively well in improving its arrest record in recent years.

In 1998 the narcotics division wrapped up 51 cases, arrested 47 drug dealers, dozens of them foreigners, seizing 4,672.5 grams of various kinds of narcotics 193 ecstasy pills.

In 1999 the division completed 96 cases, apprehended 105 drug dealers, six of them foreigners, and confiscated 5,803.8 grams of narcotics and 5,935 ecstasy pills.

The number soared in 2000 to 127 cases, 155 drug dealers, 22 of them foreigners, and4,724.2 grams of narcotics and 3,215 ecstasy pills.

"That's the number as of Oct.17, and we still have two more months to go," Suwena said.

"I look at the increasing number with mixed feelings. I am both happy for my officers' achievements, and at the same time deeply concerned for the future of our children with all these drugs and dealers around them."

Drug rehab

A prominent psychiatrist and social activist, Prof. Dr LK Suryani, shares Suwena's concern.

One year ago she established a small rehabilitation facility in Abiansemal village, some 15 kilometers north of Denpasar, where she introduced her comprehensive method combining detoxification, meditation and hypnotic therapy to drug-addicted youths.

"We are focusing on restoring the troubled youths' self- confidence and self-motivation. Only if the youth himself wants to be treated and cured will we accept him or her here," she said.

Suryani does not believe in prescribing heavy drugs, such as Methadone, to help patients endure the pain of the detoxification period, which sometimes lasts for two weeks. Instead, she asks the youths to involve themselves in many physical activities, such as sports and games, and also local community activities.

"The local youths of Abiansemal are very helpful. They regularly come to the facility in the afternoon and play sports with the youths who are in treatment," she said.

She also does not believe in the isolation method; the youths' parents are urged to visit the facility at least once a week. The visits are intended to convince the youths that they are not being abandoned by their families, and at the same time strengthen the family bonds.

After detoxification, the youths are taught several meditation methods founded by Suryani to help them overcome their need for drugs and find the real purpose in their life. In the last stage, Suryani hypnotizes the youths to erase any negative drug use memories from their consciousness.

"I am not an expert in drug rehabilitation programs. But, I believe that if we treat these kids as our own children, give them love and understanding, and at the same time teach them to love and understand others, we will find a way to cure them," she said.