Police seize 11,000 ecstasy pills in two weeks

Evi Mariani Jakarta

The Jakarta Police announced on Tuesday they had arrested 13 suspected drug dealers from four syndicates, and seized from them 11,291 ecstasy pills in a two-week operation.

"The evidence is estimated to be valued at Rp 1.5 billion (US$166,667)," city police drug squad chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Guntur Setyanto said.

Of the four syndicates, he added, one was supplied from Malaysia while two others were suspected of being controlled by inmates at Tangerang Penitentiary.

The police started the string of arrests around two weeks ago at Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, when they apprehended a suspect, Erens, and seized 311 ecstasy pills from him.

Erens said he received his supply from Ronald, who was found in possession of 5,416 ecstasy tablets. When arrested, Ronald identified a Malaysian, Chen Yu Keng, as his supplier.

Later, police apprehended Chen and his wife, Yuniarsih, at their house in Kelapa Gading. Yuniarsih was also named a suspect because the police discovered 50 ecstasy pills in her handbag.

Chen told the police he received the ecstasy from another Malaysian, identified only as Lo. Chen said he had arranged a transaction with Lo by sending Rusman Mangunsong to Kuching, Malaysia, to pick up the pills.

Police subsequently chased after Mangunsong and arrested him last week in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, and seized 3,890 pills.

Guntur said the suspects claimed the pills came from China.

The police also identified two syndicates controlled from people behind bars.

Last week, detectives arrested Amen in Sunter, North Jakarta, for allegedly hiding 153 ecstasy pills and 50 grams of shabu- shabu (crystal methamphetamine). Amen said he was supplied by Machel. The latter admitted that he received the pills from Yohanes, alias Johan.

Police later arrested Yohanes, who said he was only a courier working for Anen, a convicted drug dealer currently imprisoned at Tangerang Penitentiary.

Guntur said that, as of Tuesday, the police had yet to obtain access to Anen for questioning.

Police also arrested two suspects, identified as Sony and Yongky, respectively at Taman Sari, West Jakarta, and Kayu Manis, East Jakarta. From them, police seized 160 ecstasy pills and 50 grams of shabu-shabu.

Based on information from Sony and Yongky, the police linked them with a drug-dealing network inside the penitentiary. However, it was not clear if the suspects also worked for Anen.

The fourth network -- comprising Sukini, A Sin and A Liong -- was arrested at a disco in Penjaringan, North Jakarta. Police seized a total of 1,311 ecstasy pills from them.