Dutch citizen on trial for drugs

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

An Dutch citizen who was born in Indonesia went on trial on Thursday for producing and trafficking millions of ecstasy pills between September 1999 and March 2002.

Prosecutor Martha P. Berliana told the Tangerang District Court that Ang Kiem Soei, 50, alias Kim Ho, alias Ance Tahir alias Tommy Wijaya, who was born in Fak Fak, Irian Jaya, resides at Rosevelt Ln 234, Utrech, Netherlands.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant had produced psychotropic substances in two places, at Jl. Imam Bonjol 79A, Karawaci and at Jl. KH. Hasyim Ashari 26, Cipondoh, both in Tangerang between September 1999 and March 2002.

Martha said that the defendant was assisted by several men called Frans, Beth, Irawan, Husni and Karim who are all still at large.

Ang Kiem ordered part of the raw materials from a man named Leo Chandra, who is also still at large, while other substances were imported from Shanghai, the prosecutor said.

At the beginning, Ang Kiem produced the ecstasy pills in a house in Karawaci, but then in September 2001, ang Kiem rented another house in Cipondoh, which he later used as a clandestine drug factory.

Ang Kiem was arrested on April 6 by a team of three police officers of the National Police detective unit in room 1513 of the Hotel Borobudur, in Central Jakarta following a tip from a man called Tommy Palembang who is already dead.

During the raid, the police seized as evidence a total of Rp 2 billion comprising of Sin$4,200, HK$5,670, US$200,000, Yuan 10,500 and Rp 200 million, allegedly obtained from selling the drugs.

On April 7, the police raided the two drug factories in Cipondoh and Karawaci, confiscating 8,441 ecstasy pills of pink, green, blue, yellow, orange, brown and beige colors, and various tools to make the drugs.

Ang Kiem could face a death penalty if found guilty.

Presiding judge M. Hatta Ali adjourned the session for a week.