Prisoners detained for drugs possession

JAKARTA (JP): A prisoner at the Salemba prison in Central Jakarta was caught in the possession of drugs, a police officer said on Friday.

Chief detective of Central Jakarta Police Sr. Insp. Hendra Suhartiyono said the prisoner, Sugino alias Acoy, confessed that he obtained the drugs from a friend who had posed as a visitor at the prison.

The drugs were kept by another prisoner identified as Iwan, alias Boker, who was held in a different block, and were delivered to Sugino later, Hendra added.

Sugino was caught in his cell with 45 grams of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) and 3 grams of putaw (low grade heroin) on Saturday.

"We raided Sugino's cell and found the drugs inside a shoe box," said Hendra, adding that the evidence was being held at the Central Jakarta Police station.

"Sugino was sentenced to two years for illegal possession of arms last February," Hendra said.

If proved guilty of illegally possessing drugs, Sugino would serve an additional sentence.

Hendra said the operation to arrest the suspects involved the cooperation of the Central Jakarta Police with the Salemba prison staff. Prison authorities had been watching the suspect for months.

Hendra said the cooperation with police was necessary "because the prison authorities don't seem to understand how to go about raids and tracing the drugs."

Earlier reports reveal the involvement of prison officials in the trafficking of drugs.

In July the questioning of two prisoners led to a confession that they bought drugs, including the amphetamine ecstasy and shabu-shabu, from prison officials.

According to the head of the Jakarta office of the Ministry of Law and Legislation, Imam Santosa, there was a low ratio of guards to prisoners which made monitoring the prison difficult.

At the Salemba prison there are now about 1,800 prisoners and 160 officers working four shifts. Salemba's capacity, however, is only 750 prisoners. (07)