Drug raid nets policeman, prosecutor

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

Medan Police were questioning on Wednesday a prosecutor and police officer who were arrested separately a day earlier on drug charges.

The two drug suspects are Rajali, 45, a prosecutor with the Medan Prosecutor's Office, and Second Adj. Insp. Iskandar, an officer attached to the North Sumatra Provincial Police's drug squad.

The chief of the Medan Municipal Police's drug squad, Comr. Kumbul, said on Wednesday that Rajali was arrested on Tuesday night along with two accomplices, Abdul Muas, 32, and Jeini, 29. The police seized a half kilogram of dry hashish and a small package of crystal amphetamine during the arrests.

Kumbul said that the police first arrested Jeini on Jl. Katamso, and he then led the officers to Rajali and Abdul Muas.

Jeini told the police later on that the drugs, which he intended to sell to the public, belonged to Rajali and Abdul Muas.

During police questioning on Wednesday, Rajali confessed that the drugs were his, but that he intended them for personal use.

Meanwhile, Iskandar, a police officer, was also arrested on Tuesday night along with two accomplices, Suhadi, 40 and Tohri, 33. They were apprehended while consuming drugs in a house on Jl. Gunung Mahameru, Medan city.

During the raid, the police seized four small plastic packages containing crystal amphetamine, three aluminum foils and other drug-taking paraphernalia.

Like Rajali, Iskandar told the arresting officers that he intended the drugs for personal consumption.

"Despite what they said, we will investigate their respective roles in these drug cases," said Kumbul.

Responding to the arrest of Rajali, North Sumatra Prosecutor's Office spokesman J. Ketaren said that his office would not attempt to protect the arrested prosecutor.

He further said that if Rajali was convicted, he would be dismissed from the service.