Expats involved in drug crimes

By Christiani Tumelap

JAKARTA (JP): A Nepalese student is currently being tried at South Jakarta District Court on charges of possessing and trafficking heroin.

Last month an Iranian was sentenced to 12 years in jail after he was found guilty of possessing 155 capsules of heroin. He was arrested in November at a hotel in Central Jakarta.

In April, two other Nepalese along with a Briton were arrested for allegedly smuggling and distributing 1.2 kilograms of heroin worth Rp 51 million (US$20,816).

Also in April, a Singaporean was arrested for allegedly trafficking 2,450 Ecstasy pills worth about Rp 90 million.

The amount of foreigners allegedly involved in drug-related crimes was quite high in the first six months of this year, City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said last month.

He said at least 25 foreigners were arrested in the period between January and June for alleged involvement in the drug- related crimes.

"The arrested foreigners were from various countries, including African nations, Britain, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Singapore," Hamami said.

Out of the 25 arrested foreigners, 17 were believed to be involved in smuggling or trafficking Ecstasy pills, heroin and marijuana.

Nine were from African countries, including Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa.

First Lieutenant IM Pande Cakra of the City Police Foreigners Supervision department supported Hamami's remark, saying that police were striving to boost supervision of ill-behaved foreigners.

Pande said the number of Africans involved in drug-related crimes has increased this year.

"Drug-possessing Africans that were arrested were mostly couriers. They were not the masterminds behind the business," he said.

Excluding foreigners, Indonesian police have actually been very busy handling local traffickers.

At least 129 drug dealers and 25 users were arrested in Jakarta during the first three months of this year alone. Despite the many arrests, police are not sure whether they have captured the big fish.

In the widely publicized court hearings of Zarina, an actress found guilty of possessing 29,677 Ecstasy pills, there were no clues to a drug syndicate as police had earlier suspected.

The death of Rifardi in early 1994 at the home of actress Ria Irawan in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, which was believed to be caused by an overdose of Ecstasy, sparked another investigation into a suspected drug syndicate -- but the case was closed without any major findings.

With the involvement of foreigners, police are now facing even a larger problem.

A source at National Police Headquarters said that Indonesia started becoming a target market for drug dealing in South East Asia in 1993.

According to the source, Indonesia was previously considered only as a transit point in the delivery of heroin, marijuana or other drugs from the "golden triangle" areas of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar to Australia and other countries.

Pande said Indonesia became a target market country for particular drugs, like marijuana and heroin, and was a very promising market for the third-grade heroin Putauw.

Pande said foreigners looked at Indonesia as a fast-growing country with an open investment policy which offered great business opportunities, including drug trafficking.

He said crimes by foreigners was partially a side effect of the country's open investment policy.

Many people come here and spend their money quite easily either as businessmen or tourists, Pande said.

Many foreign tourists take advantage of the visa-free or short-stay visa facilities given to them by working at companies or nightspots or by committing crimes, ranging from fraud to drug trafficking, he said.

There was no limitation on those who might enter the country, except those who are on immigration and police blacklists, Pande said.

"The absence of limitations hinders immigration officers and police from tightening the control and supervision of foreigners," Pande said.

He expressed concern over the uncooperative nature of some local people who were reluctant to inform police of foreigners employed at their companies or staying at their homes.

"Some of them do that on purpose to avoid taxes on foreigners," Pande said.