'Putaw' users caught at school

JAKARTA (JP): Three men were caught on Sunday using putaw (low-grade heroine) in a vacated primary school in Sumur Batu, Central Jakarta, police said.

The three suspects -- 28-year-old Ali Sugimin, 31-year-old Tri Wandoyo and 27-year-old Ridwan -- are local residents and were described by police as unemployed.

"They said they use the drug but never sell it," Kemayoran Police subprecinct chief Maj. Sudjono said on Monday.

"Ali said they could obtain the drug easily for Rp 50,000 (US$6) from a food stall owner named Mamat," he said, adding that Mamat, who is believed to supply drugs to prostitutes and students in the area, had fled.

Also on Sunday, two men were arrested in a public toilet at Inpres Market in the Senen area for selling putaw, Senen Police said.

Detective Second Lt. Yan Kris Allo said police seized 13 packages of putaw weighing a total of 1.3 grams from the two suspects, 21-year-old Arman Panjaitan and 22-year-old Rinto Napitupulu. They were selling the packages for Rp 30,000.

"The two are thugs with prior records of robbery in the area," Allo said. (06)