Youths tried for possessing heroin

JAKARTA (JP): A prosecutor asked the West Jakarta District Court to sentence two young men to eight and 14 months in jail respectively for possessing putauw, or low grade heroin, yesterday.

Prosecutor Joice Caunang asked the court to sentence Hendri Anggara, alias Asing, 19, to 14 months in jail for possessing 0.7 grams of heroin and to sentence Asing's friend Afandi Surya alias, Fan Fan, 18, to eight months for failing to report the purchase of the heroin deal to police.

"The two defendants were arrested on Nov. 11 after Asing bought the heroin for Rp 260,000 from a dealer, named Dodi, in the Tambora area of Jakarta," she said.

Police officers stopped the defendants, who were riding a motorcycle, shortly after the deal and found the putauw in Asing's pocket, she said.

The defendants have been charged under Article 78 (2) of Law No. 22/1977 on narcotics. The article carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail and a fine up to Rp 500 million. (jun)