Ex-prayer man busted for drugs

JAKARTA: A man who used to make a living by saying prayers at the Tangerang mayoralty administration was arrested by the police on Friday for drug trafficking.

The suspect, identified as NA, 41, was arrested with the help of a becak (pedicab) driver, who posed as a buyer. Two packages of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) weighing 0.3 milligram in total were confiscated from NA, Antara reported.

Tangerang Police chief of detectives First Insp. Kosasih said that a plainclothes officer had asked the becak driver to buy him a package of shabu-shabu from NA for Rp 150,000.

NA, who was arrested during the transaction, told the police that he usually sold a small package of the drug for Rp 200,000. He agreed to give the becak driver a big discount because he took pity on him. --JP