Undercover agents attacked in identity mix-up

Undercover agents attacked in identity mix-up

JAKARTA (JP): Six plainclothes police detectives were attacked
by residents of Kebon Kacang in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on
Monday afternoon. The detectives were attempting to arrest an
alleged drug dealer, however the locals mistook them for thieves.

Col. Abdullah, chief of the narcotics unit of the city police
detectives, said on Tuesday one of the police detectives suffered
head injuries and also wounds to his arms.

The officer, identified as Sgt. Maj. Mustafa Kamal, was taken
to the nearby Mintohardjo Navy Hospital for treatment.

Abdullah said the suspected drug dealer, identified as
33-year-old Irnawan, alias Iwan, was shot in the back and died
shortly after at the same hospital.

He said the raid was launched after the police received a tip-
off from an anonymous informant, who said locals frequently saw
drug transactions in the area.

"When the six police officers... pretended to be buyers
looking for putauw (low grade heroin), residents suggested they
see Irnawan," Abdullah said.

Irnawan then offered the officers heroin, saying he only had a
limited supply, Abdullah said.

"Both Irnawan and the officers settled a price of Rp 20
million for 100 grams of heroin. However, when the heroin was
handed over, other plainclothes officers broke into the house and
arrested Irnawan."

The alleged dealer tried to take advantage of the densely
populated area by inciting the residents, Abudallah said.

When asked to enter the unmarked police vehicle, Irnawan
repeatedly shouted: "I'm being robbed!"

"Residents rushed to the front of Irnawan's house, bringing
with them all kinds of things, including sickles and swords, to
attack the police," said Abdullah.

"When the residents attacked my officers, Irnawan tried to
flee so he was shot."

The detectives were forced to fire at least three warning
shots in an attempt to disperse the angry residents, who thought
the detectives were a group of robbers.

In a separate incident, a Liberian citizen was taken to the
Soekanto Police Hospital in East Jakarta after he was found in a
comatose state in his room in the Pasar Baru Hotel on late
Monday.

The man, identified as 30-year-old Meoth Swa, was believed to
have suffered from a drug overdose.

"We have checked his urine and it's positive -- containing
heroin -- and we are still waiting for an examination on his
stomach, as the X-Ray has shown that there are black dots there,"
Abdullah said, adding that the dots were believed to be packages
of heroin.

Doctors at the hospital reportedly had given Meoth laxatives
to enable retrieval of the packages, but his condition was very
weak.

On Monday, forensic experts at Cipto Mangunkusumo General
Hospital found 53 heroin-filled capsules inside the stomach of a
Swazi national during a postmortem examination.

One of the capsules was believed to have split open before
Chinedu Donsin Ochia had the chance to pass the capsules from his
body.

Chinedu was found dead in his room at the Andalus Hotel in
Menteng, Central Jakarta. The capsules were confiscated by
police. (emf)