Teenagers suspected of consuming illegal drugs to boost courage during street brawls in Matraman

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Joint law enforcement officers have uncovered suspected abuse of illegal drugs by teenagers to boost courage whilst engaging in street brawls in the Matraman district of East Jakarta.

“It appears that most of the buyers are teenagers who use these drugs during street fights,” stated Andik Sudaryanto, Head of the Matraman District Civil Police Unit (Satpol PP), when contacted in Jakarta on Thursday.

The discovery was made during a public health enforcement operation (pekat) conducted by combined authorities at several high-risk illegal drug distribution points in Matraman on Wednesday evening (11 March).

According to Andik, monitoring and enforcement operations are part of efforts to prevent street brawls. “This action is also intended to prevent street fights in the Matraman District area,” he stated.

During enforcement operations on Kelapa Sawit Street, Utan Kayu Selatan, Matraman, officers seized 128 illegal drug tablets being freely sold to the public.

In addition to illegal drugs, officers also discovered illicit alcohol during inspections of several herbal medicine vendors in the area.

At a different location on Ahmad Yani Street, Utan Kayu Utara, officers secured approximately 15 bottles of illicit alcohol from various brands.

“We found around 15 bottles of illicit alcohol from various brands when we visited the herbal medicine vendors,” Andik stated.

The operation involved personnel from the Civil Police Unit, Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), National Police (Polri), District Social Services, the Community Early Warning Forum (FKDM), Transportation Services, and District Health Services.

The operation was also a follow-up to information that went viral on social media regarding alleged illegal drug distribution in Matraman District.

Previously, a group of unidentified persons attacked three pharmaceutical shops in the Pasar Rebo area of East Jakarta in response to allegations of unauthorised pharmaceutical sales at those locations.

“Three pharmaceutical shops in the Pasar Rebo area were attacked by unknown persons,” stated AKP I Wayan Wijaya, Chief of Pasar Rebo Police Station, at the East Jakarta Mayor’s Office on Tuesday (10 March).

According to him, the kiosks were initially leased for other businesses, such as cosmetics sales, mobile phone equipment, and household supplies like tissues.

However, in practice, they were allegedly being misused to sell unregistered pharmaceutical products.