The police on Wednesday arrested an alleged member of a drug syndicate, Nigeria-born Ajah Joseph, also known as Mr. 2000, inside the Ancol amusement park complex in North Jakarta.
National Narcotics Agency director Brig. Gen. Indradi Thanos said the arrest created a new lead to a drug trafficking chain spanning from Africa to Indonesia.
"There are seven suspects that we have arrested within the syndicate, which is famous for using women as their couriers," Indradi said, as quoted by ^YKompas.com^Y on Thursday.
Convicted drug dealers Chris, a Nigerian, and Dadang, an Indonesian, are among members of the syndicate who have remained active behind bars. Both are currently imprisoned at Cipinang penitentiary.
The remaining suspects include Nigerian Bethel Onye Oju, or Bonialso, Iwan Chandra and Wahyuni A dan Ati Suryani.
The distribution of the drugs, Indradi said, involves networks in Pakistan, India and Malaysia, moving from one country to another through air transportation with at least nine to 10 kilograms of heroin per week.
"The supply came from the Golden Triangle in Thailand and from Afghanistan," he said.
The modus operandi for reaching the Indonesian market also includes a new route through Cambodia and Vietnam aside from the traditional Myanmar-China route, Indradi said.
The syndicate members, which mostly come from West Africa, rely on tourist visas to enter the country, making a cause for stronger cooperation with the immigration office, he said. (and)
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