Drug suspect shot dead by police

JAKARTA: Police shot dead a suspected drug dealer on Monday morning following his arrest at an apartment in Puri Kembangan, West Jakarta, a police officer said on Monday.

"The suspect, Erwin Rusli, 43, was shot dead after he tried to escape when police asked him to reveal his colleagues' hiding places," City police detective chief Sr. Comr. Adang Rochjana told a media briefing.

From Erwin's residence, police confiscated 550 grams of raw material for the manufacture of "ecstasy" pills, two rolls of aluminum foil, and two inhaling devices, Adang said.

Adang said Erwin had been the target in the police operation, recalling that he had been arrested twice previously for drug possession on Oct. 3, 1998 and July 10, 1999 respectively. --JP