Prosecutor's office staffer arrested over drug deal

JAKARTA (JP): North Jakarta police have arrested scores of people, including a staffer at the mayoralty prosecutor's office, during a series of drug busts at various places in the past week.

North Jakarta Police chief Sr. Supt. Wisjnu Achmad Sastro said on Saturday that 17 people, including North Jakarta prosecutor's office staffer Achmad Fachruji, were suspected of being drug traffickers.

"The police seized one kilogram of marijuana, 18 grams of putaw (low grade heroin), 12.95 grams of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) and Rp 184,000 (US$20) in cash," Wisjnu said at his office.

All of the drugs were packed in newspaper and small plastic packages, ready to sell.

The officer said the suspects were arrested separately in a series of operations since July 17.

The prosecutor's office employee was arrested in his uniform on Thursday as he was entering Apartment Cempaka Mas Sunter, North Jakarta, he said.

He said Achmad was arrested while offering shabu-shabu to a plainclothes police detective.

"Achmad was due to exercise at the apartment building, as a police detective purportedly intended to buy the drugs from him," he said, adding that police arrested the 27-year-old worker with two grams of shabu-shabu in front of the fitness room.

Wisjnu said Achmad shouted once to surrounding people, as if he was being robbed by several people, who were actually undercover police officers.

He said several residents approached the officers and almost attacked them.

"One of the officers fired a warning shot and the residents dispersed," he said, regretting Achmad's resistance.

Wisjnu said Achmad had violated the law by trafficking in drugs and for resisting arrest.

"We regret that such a law enforcer was involved in drug trafficking. The police, however, will prosecute him according to the law," he said.

Achmad repeatedly denied to reporters that he was an employee at the North Jakarta prosecutors' office, saying that he was merely an electronics businessman in North Jakarta.

Asst. Supt. Eko Indra Heri, chief of police detectives, said, "However, we still have his uniform."

Another suspect, Sartono, was a noodle soup seller, operating at Green Garden housing complex, North Jakarta.

Sartono said he was arrested on Friday.

"I was arrested with three small packages of marijuana," he said, without mentioning the weight of the packages.

Sartono, a father of four children, said he had been involved in the drug business since last week.

"A fellow named Pakpahan, who often bought my noodles, offered me the job. He supplied me with the drugs," he said, adding that Pakpahan was now at large.

The 36-year-old noodle seller sold small packages of marijuana to complex residents for Rp 5,000 each.

"I get a Rp 1,000 profit per package. It's not much. But, it's enough to help cover my family expenditures," he said.

Sartono said he was indeed aware of the risks of selling drugs, as he often watched private television station Indosiar's show Patroli.

"My wife, Rohyati, has also warned me about the stiff punishment I face if I get caught. But, I still have to do it as my family really needs money," he argued.(asa)