Expats involved in drug crimes

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.