Pasar Minggu market drug dealer arrested
Pasar Minggu market drug dealer arrested
JAKARTA (JP): A coffee trader turned drug dealer has been
arrested at the Pasar Minggu market in South Jakarta for
illegally possessing 21,400 Nipam barbiturate pills, 3,050 BK
tranquilizer pills and an ounce of marijuana.
The man, identified as Muhamadi -- alias Madi -- 28, was
arrested during a police raid Tuesday afternoon.
Pasar Minggu Police found the drugs, which have a total street
value of more than Rp 7.6 million (US$2,537), hidden in three
stalls belonged to other traders at the market.
The stall owners were not detained but questioned as
witnesses.
South Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Sisno Adiwinoto said
yesterday that Madi had confessed to selling drugs for the past
four months.
"He has violated the 1997 Psychotropic Law No. 5 on the
possession and sale of psychotropic drugs and the 1976 Narcotics
Law No. 9 on the possession and sale of marijuana as well," Sisno
said.
According to the psychotropic law, if Madi is found guilty he
will face between four and 15 years imprisonment and between Rp
150 million and Rp 750,000 million in fines.
If found guilty of the narcotics charges, he may be sentenced
to life in prison or a maximum of 20 years jail plus a maximum
fine of Rp 30 million.
Sisno said police were still looking for the suspect's alleged
accomplices, whose identities were known.
Police said other alleged drug dealers in the area, who had
been arrested previously, provided officers with the information
on Madi.
The first unidentified alleged dealer was captured with 50
Nipam pills in his possession which he claimed were supplied by
Madi.
During interrogation, Madi allegedly confessed that he stopped
selling coffee beans and became a drug dealer after a man, called
Ramli, invited him to sell drugs four months ago.
Madi regularly bought Nipam and BK pills from Ramli and sold
them to drug users in the Pasar Minggu area, he allegedly said.
He sold the Nipam and BK pills for about Rp 2,500 for a strip
of 10 pills.
It was still unclear whether Madi also bought the marijuana,
which has a street value of at least Rp 1.5 million, from Ramli.
Madi said his supplier was also a drug dealer who ran his own
illegal business under the Senen flyover bridge in Central
Jakarta.
For years the area has been notorious for its drug-related
activities. It is well-known that cheap drugs like Nipam and BK
are commonly sold at street drugstores around the Senen market.
Police said Ramli was still at large. (cst)