Big Ecstasy factory uncovered

JAKARTA (JP): The National Police have uncovered a large Ecstasy producing factory on Jl. Muhtar Raya in Ciledug, Tangerang, an official said on Friday.

Maj. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, the chief detective in the National Police, said the discovery was the largest this year.

"In one production cycle the factory had the capacity to make six gallons of psychotropic substance which is enough for about 800,000 ecstasy pills," he said.

Police believe the factory ran two production cycles every month, Da'i said.

The 3,000-square-meter factory had a reinforced production room, double walls which had been sound-proofed, and was equipped with high-tech machinery, he said.

Police arrested three people when they raised the factory on Wednesday. They were Bur, 50, the factory's owner, and two employees named Su, 28, and Tar, 24.

Police also confiscated six gallons of what turned out to be an amphetamine substance. (ind)