Two arrested for alleged involvment in drug ring

JAKARTA (JP): Two men were arrested Saturday at a house in Salemba, Central Jakarta, for alleged involvement in distributing marijuana.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said 10 kilograms of dried Acehnese-grown ganja were confiscated from the suspects and would be used in evidence in the case.

He identified the men as Agus Maulana, 42, a driver, and Arief, 21, a student of a private technical high school.

"Agus and Arief are relatives. They have been involved in the drug distribution business for over six months, at least."

They were apprehended at 5 a.m. Saturday at Agus' home on Gg. I/46A in Salemba Tengah.

"The police had been watching their activities for about a week beforehand," Aritonang said.

Aritonang said the men were classified as relatively big distributors because they usually sold marijuana in large quantities of at least a kilogram per transaction.

Agus did not have fixed prices for selling the drug, he said.

"But Agus admitted that he always received a profit of no less than Rp 200,000 (US$25) from each kilogram of marijuana he sold."

Arief assisted Agus in selling the drug to other distributors and dealers, he added.

Agus and Arief were believed to have cooperated with at least four others, who regularly supplied them with the marijuana from Aceh, the country's westernmost province.

"We're now hunting for the four, who are believed to operate mainly in the Aceh region. They must have connections with some illegal cannabis plantations there," he said.

He named the four suspects as Nazar, Sanusi, Husen and Sayuti.

Agus told the police the confiscated marijuana was delivered to his house on Tuesday afternoon.

"Nazar arrived with the package from Aceh by bus," the spokesman quoted Agus as saying during questioning.

Aritonang said Agus had previously received marijuana deliveries from Sanusi, Husen and Sayuti.

Sanusi was reported to have supplied two kilograms, and Husen and Sayuti supplied one kilogram each.

Aritonang said Agus, Arief and their four accomplices, when apprehended, would be charged with the illegal distribution of marijuana under Article 82 of the 1997 Narcotics Law, Number 22.

If found guilty, they could receive maximum sentencing of the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Lesser sentences for the offense include 20 years in jail and a Rp 1 billion fine. (cst)