Two TNI officers, one cop nabbed in drug party

Abdul Khalik The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Two TNI soldiers, one police officer and a civil servant in the Jakarta administration were arrested on Friday for crystal methamphetamine possession and use in a private party at the Dusit Hotel in Mangga Dua, West Jakarta.

Adj. First Lt. Nur Ali of South Jakarta Military Command, First Sergeant Ohan from East Jakarta Military Command, First Brig. Johan of West Jakarta Police precinct and head of Jakarta Industrial Training Center (BLKI) Gofur Ismail were arrested at 3 p.m. on Friday at a room in the Dusit Hotel after the police were tipped off by a group of residents.

Chief of the drugs squad at city police Sr. Comr. Carlo Brix Tewu said police confiscated 10 grams of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) and arrested three sex workers, who were allegedly hired to join the party.

"We are now questioning them here at headquarters. We are still trying to find out whether they are drug users or dealers as 10 grams of shabu-shabu is too much for users," he told The Jakarta Post.

Ten grams of shabu-shabu could be used by dozens of people, Carlo said.

"We waited for several hours before we were sure that we had evidence we needed. After we saw them using drug we immediately arrested them," Carlo said.

He said police would turn over the cases to the police internal affairs section and the military police after questioning.

Carlo said the two soldiers would be tried in a public court and charged under Laws No. 22/1997 on narcotics and No. 5/1997 on psychotropic substances. Both carry the death sentence as the maximum penalty.

Jakarta Police chief of internal affairs Sr. Comr. Anwaruddin said that his unit would charge Johan if they found enough evidence in the investigation.

"We will not tolerate drug use by police officers as they should be an example to the public. Not only that, we are in the middle of a nationwide antidrug campaign," he told the Post.

Carlo said that police would handle the case files of the four remaining suspects -- one civil servant and three sex workers.

Many police officers, soldiers and civil servants have been arrested recently for using and trafficking drugs. While some have been convicted of crimes, others have walked free, causing criticism of the internal discipline processes that some observers say lack much-needed transparency.

Recently, Hendra Ruhendra, a prosecutor fron Cibinong, was charged by police with supplying drugs and illegal ownership of guns after he was caught for illegal possession of two guns and 187 grams of shabu-shabu.