Police believe drug traffickers have fled abroad
Police believe drug traffickers have fled abroad
JAKARTA (JP): It is believed that a drug ring trafficking
"ecstasy", an illegal stimulant, left the country on Sunday after
the arrest of one of their syndicate personnel.
"We have failed to detain any other suspected members of the
syndicate," head of the city police's operational affairs
subdivision, Capt. Syaiful Bd., told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
Based on information from 21-year-old GS, arrested in the
early hours on Sunday at the B1 discotheque located in the
basement of the Niaga Tower building, a number of police were
later deployed to the scene to make more arrests.
"But we detained no one else," Syaiful said.
He said that the failure of the police's operation, codenamed
Walet (swallow bird), was caused partly by some media reports
about the arrest of GS.
"I strongly believe that my Walet team could have brought in
other drug trafficking suspects had there not been any reports on
Sunday's arrest," he said.
GS was arrested by undercover police at B1 and is still in
police custody.
Before being nabbed, one of the undercover police purchased a
tiny pill for Rp 100,000 (US$45) from GS.
The pill is believed to have been ecstasy, an amphetamine-
related drug imported from the U.S. and Europe, which is
presently one of the most popular drugs among young people in the
city.
The officer then nabbed the suspect, who was in possession of
Rp 600,000 in his pockets and 21 pink ecstasy pills in his
underwear.
GS admitted that the cash was made off of the disco's patrons,
who have not yet been identified.
Disappointed with the police's failure to arrest the other
syndicate members, the captain said, "They're all far away now,"
without giving any more information.
He also did not comment on the origin of the ecstasy pills.
However, sources believe that most of the pills were shipped
to Jakarta from the United States via Bali. The drugs are sold in
different ways to selected customers, most of whom are teenagers
frequenting discotheques, cafes, restaurants and pubs.
Over the past few weeks city police have carried out a series
of operations against ecstasy suppliers and users, following
reports of the increased use among teenagers.
The arrest of GS brings the number of suspects arrested in
connection with the illegal possession and use of ecstasy drugs
to 10.
Ecstasy sells for between Rp 80,000 and Rp 200,000 per pill,
depending on its potency.
Despite the operation, a wide number of other dangerous drugs,
like Dumolit, Mogadon, Rohipnol, Nipam and Pil BK, priced at
around Rp 2,500 per pill, are still widely available.
Syaiful's discontent with the media is supported by executives
of a non-governmental organization called Bersama, which was
founded to help prevent drug abuse.
Bersama is scheduled to hold a seminar on drugs next week. The
seminar will be attended by around 40 journalists from Indonesia
and other ASEAN countries at the BKKBN guest house in East
Jakarta from April 25 to 29.
"There are many ways to make interesting drug-related reports
without improperly stimulating the desire of readers,
particularly teenagers, to try or sell drugs," said Mintarsih A.
Latief, a Bersama executive. (29/bsr)