Govt to set up Narcotics Agency

JAKARTA: In a bid to curb rampant drug abuse and trafficking, the government will soon form a National Narcotics Agency (BNN) that will be given the power to take legal steps against both users and dealers.

"The formation of BNN is still being discussed by the state secretariat, police headquarters, customs and excise directorate general and state intelligence agency (BIN)," State Minister for Administrative Reform Feisal Tamin said here on Thursday.

Feisal said BNN, which would replace the existing National Narcotics Coordination Agency (KBNN), would be empowered to take legal and operational steps to fight the thriving narcotics trade in the country.

Data issued by a number of non-governmental organizations in 2000 showed that 3.4 million people nation-wide were drug users, including narcotic addicts, a rise of a whopping 70 percent on 1999 figures. -- Antara