Metro Police Uncover Large-Scale Home-Based Drug Industry in Semarang
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Metro Jaya Police, together with West Jakarta Metro Police Resort, uncovered a home-based industry or hidden clandestine laboratory for Class I narcotics of the Zenith type on a large scale in the Mijen Subdistrict area, Semarang, Central Java.
The Head of Public Relations of Metro Jaya Police, Senior Commissioner Pol Budi Hermanto, explained that this operation stemmed from a public report regarding the circulation of dangerous drugs in the West Jakarta area.
“Through a series of investigations and surveillance, officers first secured a man with initials P in the Penjaringan area, North Jakarta, with evidence of 120,000 Zenith tablets,” he said in his statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Budi explained that based on initial statements, P is suspected of acting as a courier under the control of the main suspect with initials D, who operates the factory from out of town.
The joint team then quickly moved to Semarang, Central Java, to conduct the pursuit.
On Thursday (9/4), officers successfully arrested suspect D at his residence and discovered a warehouse converted into a narcotics production laboratory.
“At the location, police seized 186,000 Zenith tablets ready for distribution as well as 1.83 tons of precursor raw materials ready to be pressed into millions of illegal drug tablets,” said Budi.
Budi added that the main focus of this uncovering is not the material value, but the public safety impact.
“The success in thwarting the circulation of more than 4.3 million Zenith tablets has directly saved at least 4.3 million lives of the nation’s youth from risks of permanent nerve damage to death,” he said.
In addition to the narcotic evidence, police also seized automatic printing machines and material processing machines used for mass production.
He revealed that this network targets groups of teenagers and workers as the main market, who are the pillars of the nation’s future.
The existence of this factory is considered highly dangerous because it has a very large and organised production capacity.
The suspects have now been arrested and charged under Article 610 paragraph (2) and Article 609 paragraph (2) of Law No. 1 of 2023 (New Criminal Code) in conjunction with Republic of Indonesia Law No. 35 of 2009 on Narcotics, with maximum criminal penalties.
“Investigators are still continuing developments in the field to hunt down several individuals who have been designated in the Wanted List (DPO) to ensure this syndicate is dismantled to its roots,” said Budi.
Metro Jaya Police urges the public to remain proactive in reporting any suspicious activities in their respective residential environments.
“Let us make this moment to strengthen family and community resilience against the dangers of drugs. Cooperation between the National Police and the community is the main key in creating a safe, healthy public space free from dark narcotics circulation,” he said.