Police Arrest Treasurer of Drug Trafficker Ko Erwin in Mataram
The West Nusa Tenggara Regional Police (Polda NTB) arrested Ais Setiawati (AS), who was on the wanted persons list (DPO) in connection with drug trafficking cases in West Nusa Tenggara. AS is known to be the treasurer of drug trafficker Ko Erwin’s network.
The Director of the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Unit of Polda NTB, Kombes Roman Elhaj, stated that Ais was arrested in Mataram, NTB on Thursday (26 February). Ais’s arrest coincided with the arrest of her superior Ko Erwin in Tanjung Balau, North Sumatra.
“One of the wanted suspects has also been arrested - Ais, the treasurer - we arrested her in Mataram. The National Criminal Investigation Bureau arrested Ko Erwin yesterday in North Sumatra, near the Malaysian border. We secured another wanted person in Mataram,” Roman told journalists at National Police Headquarters in South Jakarta on Friday (27 February).
Roman revealed that Ais had been receiving proceeds from sales provided by suspect AN, who is the wife of Bripka IR. Ais, he said, had also met with former Anti-Narcotics Chief of Bima Police, AKP Malaungi, who is also a suspect in this case.
“That’s correct (Ais did meet with Malaungi) at the Marina Inn Hotel in Bima - Ko Erwin was there, Malaungi was there, Ais was there, and Anita,” Roman explained.
Ais was arrested while hiding in a rented house in Mataram City. “She was alone there, and was arrested without resistance,” Roman said.
After being arrested, Ais was immediately brought to Jakarta for examination by the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Directorate’s Narcotics Crime Unit. Police will investigate the flow of money within this network.
“We haven’t found an account in Ais’s name yet. Later we’ll check from AN which account she transferred money to,” Roman added.
“I asked the suspect about her account - she said there wasn’t one, ‘I don’t have a savings book, sir’ (according to Ais). Typically, since she had fled, she would have disposed of it or hidden it,” he continued.
In total, six suspects from the West Nusa Tenggara drug trafficking network cluster have been brought to the National Criminal Investigation Bureau for interrogation. They are YI, HR, AN, IR, Malaungi and Ais. They will be examined in confrontation sessions, including with Ko Erwin.
Brigadier General Eko Hadi Santoso, Director of the Narcotics Crime Unit at the National Criminal Investigation Bureau, stated that the interrogation began immediately following Ko Erwin’s arrest.
“Currently they are undergoing interrogation at the Criminal Investigation Bureau for confrontation of each person’s testimony,” Eko said.
During this interrogation, investigators will delve deeper into the drug trafficking network. This includes the amount of funds that Ko Erwin transferred to Malaungi.
“This is contradictory - everyone’s giving their own version. I’m confronting them with this. You said this, he said that, so ultimately what’s true? That’s what’s reinforced by evidence. Not just statements alone,” he concluded.
Eko has not yet revealed details about today’s interrogation. He stated that the complete results of the interrogation will be announced at a press conference planned for next week.