Seven arrested with heroin in raids

JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested seven people, including three foreigners, and confiscated 318 grams of heroin worth Rp 79.5 million (US$33,125) during raids in Central, East and North Jakarta.

City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said yesterday the three foreigners held Nigerian, Ethiopian and South African passports.

"(They) were believed to be involved in an international syndicate," Hamami said.

Hamami said they were professional dealers, although they said they were only amateurs.

The seven were arrested on May 19 in separate locations, including the Lautze Indah hotel in Central Jakarta, Jl. Pengadilan C5 in East Jakarta, and the Kelapa Gading Pratama housing complex in North Jakarta.

The police would cooperate with Interpol to trace the syndicate overseas, Hamami added.

The foreigners were only identified by the initials of PLH, EHA, and ONW, while the four Indonesians were ER, PN, YJ, and FN.

He said two of the foreigners, EHA and ONW were women, while two of the Indonesians, ER and FN, were university students in Jakarta.

In April police arrested a group of nine heroin dealers and seized 1.2 kilograms of high-grade Nepalese heroin worth around Rp 300 million.

Three of the nine people were two Nepalese and a British national. The nine people were reportedly involved in another international syndicate. (cst)