Drug dealer arrested at hospital

JAKARTA (JP): City police have arrested an alleged drug dealer who sold marijuana to plainclothes officers in the parking lot of Harapan Kita Hospital, West Jakarta, an officer said yesterday.

Head of the city police narcotics unit Lt. Col. Siswandi told reporters that the suspect, identified as Nukasah alias Sikil, 43, had been under police surveillance for two months.

The police found 0.75 kilogram of marijuana, 5 grams heroin, 15 grams of putaw (low-grade heroin), and 5 grams of the amphetamine derivative shabu-shabu in a plastic bag in Nukasah's possession when he was arrested on Wednesday evening.

"After receiving reports from neighbors who were aware of his activities, we put him under tight surveillance and tricked him into making a deal with plainclothes officers," Siswandi said.

Nukasah was arrested when he accepted Rp 2 million in cash offered to him by an officer in exchange for some marijuana.

"We were going to arrest him on Tuesday, but he did not bring the drugs with him," he said.

Siswandi said Nukasah admitted to having been a drug dealer for about four years.

Nukasah is being detained at city police headquarters. He has been charged under Psychotropics Law No.5/1997, which carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison and an Rp 50 million fine. (edt)