'Shabu-shabu' makes way to Indonesia from Shenzhen

'Shabu-shabu' makes way to Indonesia from Shenzhen

JAKARTA (JP): Drug traffickers from Shenzhen in China are
believed to be responsible for the flood of shabu-shabu (crystal
methamphetamine) into many major cities in the country, a police
officer said on Sunday.

Jakarta Police detectives chief Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo,
on his return from Hong Kong as the leader of a team of six city
police detectives, said Indonesians acted as couriers in bringing
the drug from the southeastern Chinese city. He said most of
couriers were Chinese-Indonesians.

He based his conclusions on information from seven of 12
Indonesian national who are detained in Hong Kong for illegal
drug possession.

"We've met the seven people who said that they were only
couriers for the illegal business on a mission to pick up
packages of shabu-shabu from Shenzhen," Alex said.

He said the others were unavailable for questioning.

"The five are still under intensive questioning by the local
officers who also plan to build their case," Alex said.

Alex and his team left for Hong Kong last week on a fact-
finding mission concerning the 12 Indonesian nationals, who were
apprehended between February last year and March this year.

The seven Indonesians -- Haryono Yacob, Ke Kai Eng, Herman
Yap, Edy Kosasih, Bahardhanasia, Ahmadi Surya and Ng Kim Phong,
alias Kepin -- are detained at the Lai Chi Kok and Stanley
penitentiaries.

Prosecutors have demanded prison terms of 15 years to 16
years.

The seven jailed suspects said they were arrested in Lo Wu, a
Hong Kong city which borders Shenzhen.

The shabu-shabu was hidden inside rubber body packs made
especially for drug smugglers and attached to their stomachs or
legs with adhesive tape.

Based on their information, Jakarta Police detectives have
started to develop their investigation.

"We have some names mentioned by those people. They are
Jakartans who gave the men Jakarta-Hong Kong return tickets and
allowance during their stay in Hong Kong," Alex said.

"But we still need to examine whether they are the true bosses
or merely the gophers," Alex said.

However, he strongly believed that a systematic investigation
would eventually narrow down the drug bosses to several
individuals.

He acknowledged the drug chiefs were resourceful in evading
the law.

"They are very careful and at the same time very disciplined
in their work."

The detained Indonesians interviewed by the officers claimed
to not know who was behind the drug deals. They said they only
received the return part of their ticket and their allowance once
they reached Hong Kong.

"It's a classic way to cut the links," Alex commented.

One of the imprisoned suspects, Haryono Yakub, 27, is a
resident of Jl. Sawah Lio in Jembatan Besi, West Jakarta, the
officer said.

Haryono, he added, was arrested in March last year for trying
to smuggle three kilograms of shabu-shabu. The packages of drugs
were attached to his two legs.

"He told us that he felt deceived now. A man had convinced him
that the item he would take was only tax-free merchandise, and
that even if he got caught, he would only be jailed for two
months at the most," Alex quoted Haryono's testimony.

Alex said Haryono, who was jailed in Stanley, told him that he
agreed to take the Rp 15 million (US$1,875) job in order to pay
off a Rp 8 million gambling debt.

He told Alex that a man came to his house and gave him tickets
and allowance.

Arriving in Hong Kong, he was picked up by a local resident
who escorted him to the Holiday Inn before transporting him to
Shenzhen.

During his return journey, immigration officers in Lo Wu were
alerted by his nervy behavior and found the drugs in his
possession.

Alex said Haryono appealed to be allowed to serve his sentence
in his homeland.

"I'm poor, none of my family can visit me here. Send me back
to Indonesia. I'm willing to serve the punishment in my own
country even if the verdict is longer than here," Alex quoted
Haryono as saying. (emf)