Eight people arrested with three tons of marijuana
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Eight suspects, including two military personal from the Indonesian Military Headquarters in Jakarta, have been arrested in Lampung in relation to attempts to smuggle three tons of marijuana worth Rp 6 billion (US$600,000) from Aceh to Jakarta.
Lampung Governor Oemarsono said over the weekend that those who were found to have played a role in the smuggling operation must be brought to justice.
"I asked the police to take a little of the material evidence as samples for further investigation while the remaining substance must be destroyed and all suspects must be processed according to the law," he said.
Oemarsono said if the marijuana was not destroyed immediately, it could be used by unauthorized persons as its value was soaring.
Lampung Provincial Police Chief Brig. Gen. Sugiri said that the eight suspects were arrested as they attempted to load the marijuana on a military truck in Sumber Agung Pekon Margomulya Village, Tanggamus regency, some 75 kilometers west of Bandarlampung on Dec. 9, 2001.
The confiscated marijuana, totaling 2,973 kilograms, is still being held at the Tanggamus police precinct.
Sugiri said the police were still investigating the eight suspects, including two serviceman and a civilian staff member from the Indonesian Military Headquarters in Cilangkap, Jakarta.
The two who would handed to the military police for further investigation were Chief Corp. Saleh Nasution and Saleh Sudradjat while the other six were identified as Syamsul Bahri Nasution, 23, a truck driver, Syamsul Armanto, 29, of Karawaci, Tangerang, Banten, Abu Bakar, 28, of Tangerang, Banten, Yunus, 41, of Jakarta, Muharizal, 25 of North Aceh and Rasiman, 47, of Tanggamus.
Over the last three months Lampung police have confiscated a total of ten tons of marijuana on its way to Java.
On Dec. 3, 2001, the South Sumatra Higher Court sentenced Kiagus Zainal Abidin, a resident of Palembang, to death for the possession of 58.7 kilograms of dried marijuana.
The governor also voiced his appreciation of the provincial police's work in foiling the smuggling operation, saying the Riau and Jambi police in Sumatra should intensify their drug operations as they were on the Aceh to Java marijuana trafficking route.
Asked whether the marijuana smuggling had something to do with the separatist movement in restive Aceh, Oemarsono said it needed further investigation.
Both the government and security authorities had to improve alertness to prevent the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) from smuggling marijuana for arms, he said.
"This kind of marijuana smuggling will certainly strengthen the separatist movement in Aceh and damage tens of thousands of youngsters in Java and other places," Antara quoted him as saying.
Police in Jambi have also confiscated hundreds of kilograms of marijuana from Aceh and arrested dozens of suspects over the last few months.
The smuggling of marijuana from Aceh to Java has been increasing following the Indonesian military's blockade of Aceh, and a commitment by Indonesia's neighbors to crack down on the supply of arms to GAM.