Police see rise in drug distribution

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Headquarters has detected a significant increase in drug distribution in 14 provinces across the country, a senior police detective said on Tuesday.

"Our data shows there has been an escalation (in the distribution of drugs) in the provinces, including Jakarta, West Java, East Java, North Sumatra, Jambi, Riau, Bengkulu and West Nusa Tenggara," the head of the National Police's criminal investigation unit, Insp. Gen. Engkesman R. Hillep, said during a media conference.

The findings have led police in the respective provinces to conduct massive antidrug operations since early last month, he said.

As of last Sunday, the operations have led to the arrest of at least 771 people, along with the confiscation of one ton of marijuana, four kilograms of heroin, 47 kilograms of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) and 26,452 ecstasy tablets. (jaw)