The Ecstasy problem

Police and customs officials have reacted quickly to the public's rising concern with the circulation of the drug Ecstasy. After the seizure of thousands of Ecstasy pills estimated to be worth Rp 1.8 billion at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in March, the authorities at the beginning of this month again succeeded in foiling an attempt to smuggle the dangerous drug into the country. Thousands of Ecstasy pills worth around Rp 2.4 billion were seized at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Saturday, while a narcotics squad at Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport later seized Rp 1.6 billion worth of the same pills.

We would like to express our appreciation of the swift and determined actions taken by the authorities and the raids they have conducted on places suspected of circulating the drug.

The use of the drug can lead to addiction and even to uncontrolled behavior, which could obstruct our plans to prepare a modern and self-reliant younger generation for the challenges of the future.

-- Suara Karya, Jakarta