Police arrest courier with 5.4 kg of cannabis at Sorong Port
Based on preliminary questioning, the suspect admitted she was only acting as a courier and was to hand the goods over to someone already waiting in the port’s parking area.
Sorong, ANTARA — The Narcotics Investigation Unit (Satresnarkoba) of the Sorong City Police Resort in Southwest Papua has arrested a woman with the initials FAK (24) as a trafficker of 5.455 kilograms of cannabis at Sorong Port, allegedly transported by sea from Jayapura to Sorong City.
Chief of the Sorong City Police Resort, Commissioner Amry Siahaan, said in Sorong on Thursday that the case was uncovered following intensive investigation by the Brasko team of the Narcotics Unit after receiving information from the public about an attempt to smuggle cannabis into Sorong City.
“The Sorong City Police Resort is committed to continuing to eradicate the circulation of narcotics down to its roots. We invite the public to provide information if they know of any suspicious activity related to drug abuse. The identity of informants will be protected,” said Amry.
In the operation, police secured a woman with the initials FAK (24), a resident of Jalan TPU, Malasilen Village, North Sorong District, Sorong City, who is suspected of acting as a courier.
Head of the Narcotics Unit, First Police Inspector Rachmat Djakatara, explained that the case began on Sunday (26 July), when the Brasko team received information that a woman targeted by the operation was in Jayapura and was suspected of carrying cannabis to Sorong City aboard KM Dobonsolo.
Following up on the information, officers conducted investigation and surveillance around Sorong Port, and on Wednesday (29 July) at around 22.25 local time, the suspect was successfully secured while still aboard KM Dobonsolo, which had just arrived at Sorong Port.
“Based on the preliminary questioning, the suspect admitted she was only acting as a courier and was to hand the goods over to someone who had been waiting in the port’s parking area,” he explained.
Police then searched the suspect’s suitcase, witnessed by employees of PT Pelni. The search uncovered 141 clear plastic bundles containing cannabis with a gross weight of 5,455 grams, wrapped in brown packing tape and stored in a maroon suitcase.
“Besides the cannabis, police also seized a Realme mobile phone believed to have been used for communication, 14 rolls of brown packing tape, eight sheets of black plastic, three sheets of white plastic, and one sheet of purple plastic,” he said.
For her actions, the suspect has been charged under Law Number 35 of 2009 on Narcotics.
The Sorong City Police Resort, he said, will continue to step up law enforcement efforts against narcotics abuse and trafficking in order to maintain security and public order in the Sorong City area.