Cops arrested on drug trafficking charges

JAKARTA (JP): Three police officers were among six drug trafficking suspects arrested on Wednesday by North Jakarta Police detectives, who seized 1.3 tons of dried marijuana in during a raid at the Regency II housing complex of Pasar Kamis, Tangerang.

"The officers are from the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) elite police force, who are identified by their initials as KR, AS, and IS. They brought the marijuana from Aceh," North Jakarta police chief High Comr. Andi Chaeruddin told reporters on Thursday.

The confiscated marijuana has a street value of Rp 1.3 billion (US$138,200).

"We are on the lookout for a primary suspect, Irwan, who is currently at large," Andi said.

He identified the remaining civilian suspects as Daefan, 29, Mauzakir, 23, and Amadi, 20.

Andi said Wednesday's arrests were made after the questioning of five other drug trafficking suspects, arrested on Sunday with 14 kilograms of marijuana in their possession on Jl. Uka, in Tugu Utara, North Jakarta.

Wednesday's raid, conducted by Koja police subprecinct intelligence chief, First Insp. Nachrowi, was tense Andi said, as two of the three Brimob officers drew their firearms, stating that they were there to arrest the three civilians for drug possession.

"Nachrowi and his men told the Brimob officers to show their arrest warrants. The Brimob officers failed to show my officers anything ... so they were taken along with the men," Andi told reporters.

The police also seized a gun of .22 millimeter caliber from the suspects, as well as a Toyota Hardtop jeep carrying the 13 packages of dried marijuana. (ylt)