Two men arrested for alleged sale of 'Ecstasy'
Two men arrested for alleged sale of 'Ecstasy'
JAKARTA (JP): The anti-narcotics police officers have arrested two men for alleged possession and sale of the popular drug "Ecstasy".
The police also seized books containing list of names, telephone numbers and address of people believed to be the suspects' regular consumers.
"We're still working hard to determine the status of the people whose names are listed in the books," City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna said here yesterday.
A senior police detective, who refused to be named, told The Jakarta Post that an important figure was on a cheque payable to the suspects.
"We'll announce it later. After we have strong evidence on this important figure's role," the detective said.
According to Capt. Immanuel from the anti-narcotics division, the two suspects were nabbed by plainclothes officers at different places on Thursday.
The first suspect, identified as Andi S., alias Anis, 38, was arrested in the small hours of Feb.8th in the parking lot of B- One discotheque at Niaga Tower building on Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta, Immanuel said.
A number of anti-narcotics detectives had been deployed to spy on Anis' activities following reliable information gathered by the police.
From his pocket, the detectives confiscated about 200 Ecstasy pills of various colors, forms and names, such as Playboy, Apple, Electric and Rolls Royce.
During police interrogation, Anis, a freelance photographer residing at Karet Tengsin in Central Jakarta, admitted that he sold the pills at Rp 45,000 each (US$20) after purchasing them at Rp 40,000 each from Muhammad Aspih Achmad, 38, the policeman said.
Anis told the police officers that Aspih, a resident of Surabaya, East Java, was currently in the capital and staying at a hotel in East Jakarta.
Following Anis' tip, the detectives rushed to the Hotel Nirwana at around 12:30 p.m. and found Aspih at the hotel alone with 57 Ecstasy pills with him, Immanuel said.
At the room, police also seized few grams of dried marijuana, a handphone, address books and the passport of a woman named Silvy.
According to officer Immanuel, at least four friends of the two suspects are being hunted by the anti-narcotics police for their alleged role as middlemen for transactions.
They were identified as Paimo, Saidi, Sonny and Freddy.
"Preliminary investigation reveals that both Aspih and Anis have a wide number of regular consumers in the city with average sales of hundreds of Ecstasy pills per week," said another police officer.
Spokesman Iman said that the source of the pills remained unknown.
"We're not that sure whether the pills are locally made or originate in Europe," Iman said.
If the two suspects are found guilty, they will face a maximum prison term of 15 years and a maximum fine of Rp 300 million, as stipulated in the Law of Health No. 23 issued in 1992, said Immanuel.
Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, is popular among young Indonesian adults and teenagers attending "rave" parties.
The drug can reportedly be purchased at certain discotheques and other places for wealthy teenagers in the city. In the early days of its popularity, the drug was sold at between Rp 100,000 (US$44) and Rp 200,000 per pill.
Apart from Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya reportedly have a thriving Ecstasy trade.
As the drug can harm users, law enforcement officers have banned the trafficking and use of Ecstasy.
Ecstasy used to be brought in from Europe, but it is strongly believed that many Ecstasy pills found in Indonesia are locally made. (bsr)