City reporter arrested for drug possession

JAKARTA (JP): Tangerang Police apprehended three men, one of them a reporter of the Warta Kota daily, who were in possession of drugs on Jl. Rambutan, Sukarasa subdistrict, Tangerang, on Saturday evening.

Tangerang Police chief Lt. Col. Pudji Hartanto identified the other two as Buc, a dealer of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) and Yun, an employee of the National Land Agency (BPN).

Pudji said on Tuesday that the reporter, identified by the daily's executive as Tubagus Yudi Masudi, 34, together with the two other suspects are still in the police custody.

"If anybody were to make requests for his house-arrest, we would definitely consider it. We would have no problems if Tubagus was under house-arrest," the officer said.

According to Pudji, about six grams of shabu-shabu were confiscated from the three men at Buc's residence on Jl. Rambutan on Saturday.

"All of them, including the reporter, were smoking shabu-shabu when they were caught, at about 5 p.m."

Pudji said Tangerang Police had been after Buc for a long time.

"It was only Saturday when we received news from local residents of Jl. Rambutan that a shabu-shabu party was going on in Buc's house. We caught all three men there," Pudji said.

Meanwhile, Banu Astono, chief editor of the four-month old city journal, said on Tuesday that Tubagus was on extended leave when he was arrested.

"We have yet to decide whether he will be fired for this or not. So far, the journal has had no problems with him," he told The Jakarta Post.

But a reporter of the daily who requested anonymity said that his colleague was assigned to cover news in the Tangerang area.

"Tubagus was fired immediately after we got the news of his arrest. This is so sad. Almost everyday I write stories on the anti narkoba (drug) campaigns in the capital. And here we have our own friend caught using drugs," the reporter told the Post earlier.

"Tubagus has spoilt the good name of our newspaper. We reporters had wondered since the daily was established earlier this year, why Tubagus had never reported any news. Now we know why".

In a related development, City Police apprehended a Nigerian who was in possession of 50 grams of heroin, at the Tanah Abang housing complex in Pejompongan, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Friday night.

City Police detectives chief Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo identified the Nigerian as Jerry Diany, 31.

"Jerry claims to be a professional player for a Malaysian basketball club. He said he had been contracted to play for the club, but that he had to sell drugs for more money," Alex told reporters on Saturday at City Police headquarters.

On the same night, City Police also apprehended a 22 year old man named Mahmud, who was in possession of 170 grams of heroin, at his residence on Jl. Sunter Agung, North Jakarta. (ylt)