Police evacuate 5 children from ecstasy plant

The National Police antinarcotics squad evacuated on Saturday five children following a raid on an ecstasy plant inside Graha Raya housing complex in Serpong area, South Tangerang city.

Kompas reported two of the children were aged less than 3 years old, while the rest between 5 and 7 years old. Officers moved the children out of the house in two batches to an undisclosed place.

The kids are children of the drug plant operators who were arrested during the raid earlier in the day.

The police are detaining five people, including a couple, for allegedly producing the illegal drugs. Antinarcotics director Brig. Gen. Arman Depari said the plant was controlled by a drug convict, identified as Kebot, who is serving his 13-year jail term at Cipinang penitentiary in East Jakarta.

Arman said the plant had produced between 400,000 and 750,000 ecstasy pills since it started operational last year.

The raid followed the arrest of a Depok military officer for possession of ecstasy pills. The soldier, who is being detained by the Jakarta military police, then led the police to the plant in Serpong.