Police arrest three alleged Ecstasy dealers

JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested three alleged members of a drug- dealing ring early on Saturday and confiscated 2,867 Ecstasy pills, 150 grams of amphetamine-derivative shabu-shabu, two drug processing machines and Rp 390 million (US$35,454) in cash.

City police detectives chief Col. Gories Mere, who led the raid, identified the suspects as Agung Siswanto alias Aliong, 42; Lee Men Cung alias Erwin, 40, and Santoso alias Asen, 24.

They were arrested separately between Friday night and early Saturday morning, he told reporters on Saturday.

"We have searched for the suspects for a month after we received information from the public about the suspects' activities," Gories said.

He said Aliong was arrested at about 9 p.m. as he attempted to deliver 1,660 Ecstasy pills to a house on Jl. Raden Saleh, Central Jakarta.

Aliong told police that he obtained the pills from his boss Erwin, who was later arrested at Hotel Emerald on Jl. Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, he said.

Under police interrogation, Erwin admitted to running a drug processing center on Jl. Teluk Gong Raya, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, he said.

The police narcotics team went to the location, and found 1,205 Ecstasy pills and other drug substances, Ecstasy powder, 580 Lexotan pills and 44 packages of Diasepam, as well as the drug processing machines.

Police also arrested Asen, one of the factory workers, at about 2:30 a.m. and confiscated the Rp 390 million.

The suspects will be charged under Article 59 of the Law No. 5/1997 on psychotropic drugs, he said.

The article carries maximum punishment of 15 years in jail and a fine of between Rp 150 million and Rp 750 million.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said the pills seized on Saturday were destined mainly for local customers.

"There is no indication that the pills were for export," Noegroho said.

At the end of August, the city police arrested three other drug dealers at a house used for manufacturing Ecstasy pills on Jl. Teri also in Teluk Gong, North Jakarta.

Police confiscated 10,839 psychotropic pills, including 6,139 Ecstasy pills and 3,700 Rophinol pills.

Police also confiscated about five kilograms of drug powder used as a basic material to manufacture the pills, along with four drug reproduction machines, one mixer, 38 stamp machines and 44 brand devices to pack and mark the drugs. (jun)