Bareskrim Foils Smuggling of 20kg of Cannabis to North Jakarta's 'Drug Village'
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Narcotics Crime Directorate of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim Polri) has successfully foiled the circulation of 20 kilograms of cannabis to Kampung Bahari in North Jakarta, an area known as a drug village.
Director of the Narcotics Crime Directorate at Bareskrim Polri, Brigadier General Eko Hadi Santoso, told the media in Jakarta on Monday that the operation took place at Bakauheni Port in South Lampung on Saturday (25/7).
One suspect has been named in the case, namely GA, also known as Aboy, who acted as the supplier and courier.
Two other individuals are on the wanted list (DPO): I, also known as RD, as the field owner and controller, and R as another field owner.
Eko explained that the case came to light when a joint team comprising Sub-Directorate IV and the NIC Task Force of the Bareskrim Narcotics Crime Directorate, Densus 88 AT Satgaswil Sumsel, the Police Security Maintenance Board (Baharkam Polri), the Lampung Regional Police Narcotics Directorate, and Customs and Excise inspected a bus with registration number BA 7243 NU at the entrance to Bakauheni Port in South Lampung.
During the inspection, the team found a black suitcase suspected of containing approximately 20 kilograms of cannabis.
“The plan was to take it to Bahari, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta (the drug village), to be stored in a rented house and then distributed in the area,” said Eko.
Initial interrogation revealed that the suspect GA had carried out two cannabis transactions in Panyabungan, North Sumatra.
On the third occasion, GA departed from Tanjung Priok Station in North Jakarta on Monday (20/7) and arrived in Panyabungan on Friday (24/7).
In Panyabungan, the wanted suspect with the initials I, also known as RD, together with R, packed 20 bundles of dried cannabis into a black suitcase prepared by RD, whilst GA merely watched.
On the journey back to North Jakarta on Saturday (25/7), the bus carrying GA was suddenly stopped by police officers. Eko revealed that upon seeing the police, the suspect panicked and became frightened.
“GA immediately approached the police officers and turned himself in, saying, ‘Sir, just arrest me,’” he explained.
GA and the evidence of 20 kilograms of cannabis were then secured by officers and taken to the Bareskrim Polri building.
As a result of uncovering this case, an estimated 26,787 lives are believed to have been saved.
Eko said investigators are still developing the case to apprehend the wanted suspects and other related networks, as well as to conduct a case review.