Kepri Police Arrest Head of Moro Health Centre Over Narcotics
Batam (ANTARA) — The Narcotics Directorate of the Riau Islands Provincial Police (Polda Kepri) has arrested the head of the Moro Sub-district Health Centre (Puskesmas) in Karimun Regency, identified by the initials BSS, on suspicion of involvement in narcotics abuse.
Riau Islands Police Narcotics Director Commissioner Suryono confirmed the arrest in Batam on Monday, stating it was the result of case development carried out by Sub-directorate I.
“Yes, [we arrested] a doctor in Moro — he is a health centre head. This was the result of case development,” Suryono said.
Sub-directorate I Head Adjunct Commissioner M. Komaruddin explained that BSS was arrested following the development of a general criminal case handled by the Violent Crimes Unit (Jatanras) of the Polda Kepri Criminal Investigation Directorate last weekend.
The Violent Crimes Unit had apprehended a suspect in a motor vehicle theft case who acted as a fence in Moro Sub-district, Karimun Regency.
The suspect, identified by the initial M, is a civil service contract employee (P3K) serving as a member of the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) in Moro Sub-district. He was arrested along with evidence of nine small packets of methamphetamine weighing 1.18 grammes.
“Jatanras secured a motor vehicle theft suspect — a fence — with the initial M. When his house was searched, evidence was found in the form of nine small packets of methamphetamine wrapped in plastic, weighing 1.18 grammes,” Komaruddin said.
M was subsequently taken to the Polda Kepri Criminal Investigation Directorate for further examination as a suspect in the motor vehicle theft case, whilst the narcotics findings were handled by Unit I of the Narcotics Directorate.
Investigators questioned M and sought information regarding the source of the methamphetamine. M told investigators that the drugs were obtained from doctor BSS, the head of the Moro Health Centre.
“Based on M’s statement, we went to pick up doctor BSS,” Komaruddin said.
During the arrest, officers conducted searches at both BSS’s residence and workplace — the Moro Health Centre — but found no methamphetamine. However, they did discover a methamphetamine smoking device (bong).
According to the examination of doctor BSS, he claimed the methamphetamine was obtained from suspect M, whilst M maintained he received it from doctor BSS.
The two suspects were also subjected to a confrontation of their testimonies, but each stood by their respective statements.
Investigators also conducted a urine test on doctor BSS, which returned positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine.
“Doctor BSS admitted to having consumed narcotics for a long time — since 2008 — purchasing them from suspect M,” Komaruddin said.
Doctor BSS is currently undergoing examination at the Riau Islands Police headquarters as a suspect in narcotics abuse. Meanwhile, suspect M faces two separate charges: motor vehicle theft and narcotics possession.