Two drug factory technicians get death

The West Jakarta District Court has handed down death sentences on two technicians involved in the production of illegal drugs.

Sastra Wijaya, 47, and Yudha, 33, were found guilty of involvement in producing psychotropic drugs such as ecstasy and shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) at a drug factory in Cengkareng.

Presiding judge Herybertus Mudjito told the court that the two had acted contrary to the state's efforts to fight drug abuse.

Defense lawyer Nico Hutabarat said the pair would file an appeal.

"They were only workers in the factory," he said.

The two were arrested in a raid on November 2004.

The factory owner, one Burhan Tahar, remains at large.

From the factory, which was located in a shop house at Daan Mogot Baru, the Jakarta Police's drug squad seized more than 74,000 ecstasy pills and various precursor chemicals used in making drugs.

The investigation revealed that the operation was well organized, with Burhan supplying the raw materials and equipment, and the two workers producing the drugs and packing them.

Sastra and Yudha received a weekly wage of Rp 500,000 each and a monthly bonus of Rp 1.6 million for producing a daily average of 10,000 ecstasy pills in the factory. -- Antara