Tangerang residents made aware of new drug laws

The Tangerang Narcotics Agency (BNK) held a public awareness campaign Tuesday to educate the 250 residents of three villages in Duri Kosambi district about new drug laws.

The BNK’s Atep Wahyu said anyone involved in drug offenses would face harsher punishment following the enactment of the 2009 Narcotics Law, which replaces the 1997 laws on narcotics and psychotropic substances.

“Anyone found guilty of possessing a kilogram of marijuana will be sentenced to life under the new law, and anyone in possession of more than 5 grams of crystal methamphetamine will face death,” he said.

Atep added that under the 1997 laws, the first offense only warranted a two-year sentence, while possession of up to 1 kilogram of crystal meth only warranted a five-year sentence.

He said punishments under the new law ranged from four years in prison or Rp 400 million (US$ 42,000) in fines, to the death penalty or Rp 8 billion in fine.