Police arrest illegal drug distributor targeting fishermen and crew in Muara Angke

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Subdirectorate of Traffic and Criminal Enforcement of the Directorate of Water and Air Police of the Metro Jaya Regional Police has arrested a man with the initials A (35), suspected of distributing illegal prescription drugs including tramadol, hexymer, alprazolam, merlopam, atarax, and trihexy to several fishermen and ship crew (ABK) in the Muara Angke Dock area, North Jakarta.

“The man with initials A was secured at a kiosk disguised as a cosmetics seller in the Muara Angke area on Tuesday (7/4) night, along with evidence of thousands of various types of prescription drug pills,” said the Head of the Subdirectorate of Traffic and Criminal Enforcement of the Directorate of Water and Air Police of the Metro Jaya Regional Police, AKBP Ardhie Demastyo, in Jakarta on Thursday.

In addition to the suspect, he said, officers also seized money from the sales and one mobile phone unit used by A for transactions.

According to Ardhie, the distribution of these prescription drugs came to light after the team received reports from the public suspecting the prevalence of prescription drugs in the Muara Angke coastal area.

After conducting an investigation, officers then took action against a suspicious-looking kiosk and secured a man with initials A.

In addition, there were 61 alprazolam pills size 1 mg, 790 trihexyphenidyl pills size 2 mg, 39 calmlet alprazolam pills size 1 mg, and 49 merlopam 2 lorazepam pills size 2 mg.

Then, 83 atarax 1 alprazolam pills size 1 mg, 37 riklona 2 clonazepam pills size 2 mg, and 85 alprazolam pills size 0.5 mg.

Ardhie revealed that the suspect along with the evidence has now been secured for further investigation at the Subdirectorate of Traffic and Criminal Enforcement of the Directorate of Water and Air Police.

Investigators are also continuing to develop the case to uncover the possibility of other involved networks.

For his actions, A is charged under Article 436 of Law Number 17 of 2023 on Health, related to unauthorised pharmaceutical practices and the distribution of pharmaceutical preparations that do not meet standards.

“We are committed to eradicating the circulation of unauthorised prescription drugs because they pose a potential danger to public health, especially to coastal communities and fishermen,” Ardhie emphasised.