Two women arrested for Ecstasy pills

JAKARTA (JP): Two women were arrested in North Jakarta for purportedly possessing and dealing more than 600 Ecstasy pills, police said.

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday the two women had allegedly sold drugs in several discotheques in West Jakarta.

The two, who were arrested at their home on Sunday morning, were identified as Li Mei alias Lenny, 30, and Herniwati, 32.

"Police had watched the two for some time. We knew that they often sold Ecstasy pills at the Zodiac discotheque in West Jakarta," Aritonang said.

Lenny and Herniwati were arrested in the parking lot of the Pluit Apartments in Penjaringan, North Jakarta.

Police frisked them and seized 80 Ecstasy pills from Lenny and 30 pills from Herniwati. They hid the pills in their bras.

A police search of their residence at Block NA 202 of the apartments revealed 567 additional pills.

Aritonang said that the two women had allegedly sold 300 pills valued at about Rp 60,000 (US$25) each.

Earlier last week, two people were also arrested in North Jakarta for allegedly possessing and dealing Ecstasy pills.

The couple, identified as Rob and his wife Ln, were arrested during a transaction at Hailai discotheque in Ancol, North Jakarta. Police only seized 29 Ecstasy pills from them.

The couple always had several accomplices around them when involved in transactions, the police said. The accomplices managed to run away when the couple was apprehended.

A police officer who asked for anonymity said that the couple did not sell the pills directly to customers. They had those accomplices as agents.

Rob told police that he bought the pills at a low price from someone at a discotheque on Jl. Mangga Dua, West Jakarta.

Rob also said that he made a profit of Rp 20,000 from each pill he sold.

This year alone, police have seized at least 2,400 Ecstasy pills from alleged drug dealers, including three foreigners.

The biggest find involved a Singaporean man, identified as Lo, 38, who was arrested in April for allegedly planning a transaction of 2,450 Ecstasy pills at the Dusit Hotel, Mangga Dua, West Jakarta.

Possession and/or the trafficking of Ecstasy in Indonesia is a violation the 1992 Health Law. If found guilty, a person could face a maximum 15 years in jail. (cst)