Police seize biggest ganja haul ever

JAKARTA (JP): Police seized 602 kilograms of marijuana, worth about Rp 1.2 billion (US$150,500), from four of five suspected drug dealers in a single raid early Sunday morning, the city police detective chief said on Tuesday.

Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo said the four suspects were identified as Amirudin, 41, Ramlih, 30, Abdullah Idris, 21, and Ega Erwin, 26. They were all assistants to Rachmad, a resident of Ciputat subdistrict, Tangerang. Rachmad is still at large.

"In all the years of my career in the city police, I think this is our single biggest catch ever. It is Aceh marijuana," Alex said.

Earlier in July, city police detectives seized 245 kilograms of marijuana from an Aceh university student recently returned from Aceh with two friends.

Capt. Syafi'i of the city police detectives corps, who led the raid, said they had received a tip-off from residents of Lengkong Wetan, Serpong subdistrict, Tangerang, about two weeks ago.

"They told us that they spotted ongoing activities in a warehouse, owned by Rachmad, where trucks came in and out all day and night," he said.

Syafi'i said Rachmad told the residents that he was a carpenter who made doors and gates. He also told them that he was a part time salesman for a car showroom.

"We became suspicious when residents told us that there was a sickly sweet smell that originated from the warehouse. They said they were disturbed. But that was two weeks ago."

Syafi'i said police had received information in the last two weeks that at least two trucks, loaded with 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, would drive from Aceh to Jelambar subdistrict, West Jakarta. The trucks would reportedly then shift their cargo to Tangerang.

"These dealers were so clever. They kept on changing the routes and the stopover places. The only communication equipment they used were cell phones, but they really gave us a hard time, until Sept. 12, at about 1 a.m.," he said.

"We caught Amirudin and Ramlih, driving a truck along Jl. Kedaung Raya, Ciputat. They had most likely already unloaded a part of the marijuana somewhere in Tangerang. We caught them with 381 kilograms of marijuana."

The two led the police to the warehouse owned by Rachmad. The warehouse was opened by Ega and Abdullah, who were also arrested at the warehouse.

The police seized 221 kilograms of marijuana from the warehouse, Syafi'i said.

Capt. Riad, another officer who participated at the raid, said Rachmad's newly married wife Siti Mariah lived next door to the warehouse.

"Siti told us that their wedding reception was due to take place on Saturday night, Sept. 18. When we asked her how she was going to finance the reception, she said Rachmad had promised to give her the money," Riad said.

"She fainted when we told her about her husband's true job. We are still waiting to apprehend Rachmad, who's somewhere in Tangerang and has the remaining 398 kilograms (marijuana) with him." (ylt)