Prisoners detained for drugs possession

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)