City police chief hails court's ruling

City police chief hails court's ruling

TANGERANG (JP): Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Nurfaizi
hailed on Thursday a district court ruling handing down death
sentences to three cocaine smugglers.

"The judges' decision will make (drug syndicates) afraid to
commit more crimes," Nurfaizi said, adding that the case had
smeared the country as being a transit place for international
drug distribution.

Nurfaizi was speaking to reporters after a ceremony marking
the replacement of Tangerang Police chief Supt. Pudji Hartanto
with Supt. Syafei Aksal at police headquarters.

The court sentenced on Tuesday Deni Setya Maharwan, 28, Ranni
Andriani, 25, and Merika Franola alias Ola, 30, to death. They
were arrested by city police detectives on Jan. 12 at Soekarno-
Hatta International Airport about to fly to London.

Nurfaizi told judges and prosecutors who handle drug cases not
to be afraid to make decisions according to the law because the
police would always be ready to provide them with protection.

"It would be good if after handing out heavy sentences to drug
dealers to ask (us) for protection," Nurfaizi said.(41/jaw)