City police detectives to check HK drug cases

JAKARTA (JP): A six-member team of police detectives, led by Jakarta Police detective chief Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo, is leaving for Hong Kong on Saturday, in connection with the arrest of 12 Indonesians by the administrative region's customs officers for illegal drugs possession.

Alex said the police detectives would arrange meetings with the local officials and also with the jailed Indonesians.

"If possible we will hear from the suspects (concerning) any information about drug syndicates in our country," he said.

Asked whether the Indonesian police would seek their release, he said: "they deserve the punishment... but as they're questioned there, we want to hear from them about their illegal businesses."

Alex said he strongly believed that operators of drug marketing enterprises and other narcotic-related criminal activity in the country had an extensive network with neighboring countries, including Hong Kong.

"The number of Indonesian nationals arrested while trying to smuggle drugs in Hong Kong demonstrates our country's involvement in international drug syndicates, either as suppliers or as traffickers."

He, however, insisted that Indonesia had yet to be proven as a a site for substantial drug production.

"The quality of our locally fabricated drugs, such as cheap ecstasy pills, is far below those made in Thailand."

The 12 Indonesians were arrested at Hong Kong airport between February 1998 and April 1999 for alleged drug smuggling. The drugs were detected within the suspects' digestive tracts or within their luggage.

The suspects, aged between 27 to 47, were apprehended for possession of a variety of drugs, including amphetamines, methamphetamine, N-methylephedrine hydrochlorine and ecstasy pills. (emf)