Drug traffickers start to use Internet: Report

Drug traffickers start to use Internet: Report

JAKARTA (JP): There is a strong indication that a new drug
trafficking operation using the Internet has hit Jakarta and
other big cities in the country, it was reported on Tuesday.

The new mechanism was revealed by Sri Daryanti, director of
the non-governmental organization, Anti Drug Society, and the
National Coordinating Board for Narcotics investigation chief Sr.
Comr. Jotje Mende, during a joint press conference about the
United Nation's International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)'s
2000 report on the growing consumption of psychotropic
substances.

They said on-line drug dealing occurs not only in developed
countries, but also in Indonesia.

"Some drug users said they could also use the Internet to buy
the drugs, besides ordering through telephone calls," Sri told
reporters at the United Nation Information Center, in Central
Jakarta.

Without mentioning the web sites providing the drugs, she said
the drug dealers could deliver the drugs in hidden packages.

"The drugs could be hidden in flower pots for drug users who
are being treated in hospital," she said.

Jotje also warned the public to be alert to the on-line
trafficking even though the police have not yet made any arrests
for Internet drug trafficking. "We are still studying the on-line
drug deals," said Jotje, who joined a seminar in Japan on drugs,
including online drug trafficking, last year.

INCB, in the annual report, called all governments to take
specific legal action to prevent the misuse of the Internet for
drug trafficking.

The board expressed concern over on-line drugstores and
pharmacies for illegally providing prescription drugs, including
internationally controlled substances to their clients around the
world.

Specifically, the Vienna-based institution warned about the
growing consumption of psychotropic substances and
methamphetamine.

Jotje admitted that there is also growing consumption of
psychotropic drugs and methamphetamine, known locally here as
Ecstasy and shabu-shabu, respectively.

He said the National Police handled 416 cases regarding
psychotropic substances in 1998, 839 similar cases in 1999; and
1,022 cases from January to October last year.

The police seized 119,655 Ecstasy pills and 7.7 kilograms of
shabu-shabu in 1998, 29,510 pills and 18.6 kilograms of shabu-
shabu in 1999; and 77,854 pills and 29 kilograms of shabu-shabu
in the same period last year.

Bogor

Separately, the National Police's Community Supervision
Division deputy chief Sr. Comr. Mudji Waluyo revealed that police
handled 958 drugs (heroin and psychotropic) cases in 1998
involving 1,259 local suspects and 49 foreign suspects.

Waluyo told a training session on drugs prevention in the
Puncak, near Bogor, West Java, that the number continued to
increase in 1999 as police dealt with 1,883 cases involving 2,542
locals and 48 foreigners.

From January to October last year, police probed 2,453 drug
cases and arrested 2,229 locals and 55 foreigners.

Of the foreigners arrested last year 19 were Africans, eight
were from Asian countries, two Australians, three Americans and
13 from European countries.

Waluyo said Aceh was the country's largest marijuana producer
as police seized more than 3,728 kilograms of dried marijuana in
the province last year.

He warned that the Bogor area with its fertile soil could be
used for marijuana growing.

Some 50 participants, including students, joined a training
session on drugs prevention, which was organized by the Anti
narcotics Brigade (Brigantik).(jun/21)