Servicemen still face drug probes

Servicemen still face drug probes

JAKARTA (JP): National Military Police Chief Brig. Gen. Syamsu
ordered his personnel yesterday to intensify their joint
operation with police to detain any Armed Forces members believed
to be part of an Ecstasy drug syndicate.

"This instruction applies to all military police, including
those in Jakarta, to find out any possible roles of Armed Forces
members in the trafficking of Ecstasy pills," Syamsu said.

According to the one-star general, the instruction is based on
an order from Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung, who
instructed the National Military Police headquarters to be more
active and take strict measures against indisciplined Armed
Forces members.

"We really mean business because this is about our image,"
Syamsu warned.

"What happened at the Tangerang Police precinct should not
happen again," he said, referring to last Friday's escape of an
suspected Ecstasy trafficker while in the custody of the head of
the Tangerang detectives. The officer in question is now detained
at the Jakarta Police Internal Affairs division.

Rumors have it that the officer, Capt. Ade Sutiana, played a
significant role in the escape of Zarima, 24, who was arrested
last Wednesday for allegedly possessing 29,677 Ecstasy pills.

As of yesterday, the female suspect is still at large.

"We'd like to ask her to give herself up to the police, or
don't blame us if she is shot later during her arrest," Tangerang
Police chief Lt. Col. Djoko Satryo said Wednesday. (bsr)