Tangerang city launches drug body

TANGERANG: Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim inaugurated the establishment of the municipal narcotics body on Monday, saying drug abuse was not only a threat for students but also city employees.

"We fired a dozen city employees since January for drug abuse," he said, adding that city employees must undergo urine tests to detect if they are using drugs.

He also called on school managements and offices to start activities that will stamp out drug abuse in the municipality as well as ordering district and subdistrict chiefs to set up drug eradication units in their respective areas.

There were 1,028 drug cases in Banten province this year.

Banten deputy governor Ratu Atut Choisiah, who is also the narcotics body chairwoman, said Banten was prone to drug abuse as the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Merak port were within its territory. -- JP