Eight people arrested with three tons of marijuana

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.