Eleven arrested in drug crackdowns

JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested nine university students and two drug peddlers in two crackdowns Saturday in Central Jakarta and seized 15 grams of heroin, 350 Ecstasy pills and a small amount of morphine.

Central Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. M. Ibrahim said the nine university students -- seven men and two women -- were arrested at 1:30 a.m. for using morphine in a house on Jl. Cempaka Putih Timur.

"We also confiscated 15 pinches of morphine and a syringe," Ibrahim said.

The raid was initiated after an unidentified man called police Friday night and said a morphine orgy would take place at the house, said Ibrahim. "The caller was probably one of the students' friends who disliked them."

The students were high when the police entered the house, he said.

He said the students of various private universities were then taken to the National Police headquarters for blood and urine tests. The results of the test have yet to be made public.

In a separate raid on a house on Jl. Kartini, Sawah Besar, the Central Jakarta police arrested two men at 3 a.m for possessing 350 Ecstasy pills and 15 grams of heroin.

"The suspects are believed to be drug retailers, who have often made transactions in the house," he said.

An Ecstasy pill is usually sold for about Rp 50,000 (US$21) in the city.

"The two suspects were sleeping when the police officers broke into the house. They did not resist, but denied possessing the butterfly and pink Ecstasy pills," Ibrahim said.

They finally admitted to possessing the pills, but still denied peddling them, he said. "The officers also confiscated 15 grams of heroin in a drawer in the living room of the house."

All eleven people have been detained for further investigation. (jun)