City residents can make drug arrests: Noegroho

JAKARTA (JP): City residents are free to apprehend users, producers and dealers of drugs if they have no time to contact police, the chief of city police said.

Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said on Tuesday that once residents make the arrests, they are to immediately hand them over to the nearest police station.

Noegroho said the city police force was "very serious" in its fight against drugs and will do "whatever it takes" to help city residents live in a drug-free environment.

"I applaud city residents who have helped the police in arresting the makers, users and dealers of drugs," Noegroho told reporters following a meeting with city police detectives discussing the drug issue.

"I have come to a decision that residents should be allowed to make arrests of anyone seen involved in dealing or using drugs and if they have no time to call police."

"City residents, however, should maintain care while making the arrest. If you think you cannot handle them on your own or if the suspects are too dangerous, contact us immediately."

Noegroho said Jakarta was no longer for drug pushers in transit, but a place to market, make and even export drugs."

"Marketing the drugs has branched out to include recruitment of our school kids. I will also push for dealers and makers to get maximum punishment in Indonesian courts," Noegroho said.

Article 60 of Law No.5/1997 on Psychotropic Substances carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail or a fine of up to Rp 200 million.

Separately, some six and a half kilograms of marijuana, a few grams of heroin and Rp 3.3 million (US$412) in cash were confiscated on Tuesday from two houses in Duri Pulo subdistrict, Central Jakarta, Gambir Police chief Maj. Slamet Rijanto said on Tuesday.

The police arrested four suspects during the raid.

The suspects were identified as Sadilah, 47, and Susilowati, 43, a married couple, as well as Budiman, 27, and Suhendra, 26. They were arrested and detained at the Central Jakarta Police station.

"The marijuana is worth around Rp 20 million, and the heroin is about Rp 300,000," Slamet, who led the raid, said.

Budiman and Suhendra said the narcotics seized from the house on Jl. Makmur VII belonged to Amit, the owner of the house.

Amit was nowhere near his home during the raid.

Sadilah and Susilowati, who were arrested at their home on Jl. Subur, said that they had been selling heroin since August to get money for Sadilah's hernia operation. (ylt/04)