T

he police say they have arrested two suspects in Jakarta in the largest heroin bust in the last decade.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Putut Eko Bayuseno said the suspects were arrested in possession of 4 kilograms of heroin from Nigeria and intended to distribute it locally.

According to narcotics unit chief Sr. Comr. Nugroho Aji Widayanto, huge heroin seizures in the city were rare. 'Usually we just seize 1 kilogram. Four kilograms was just an incredible amount.'

Putut, however, said that heroin trafficking was particularly alarming. 'This has become our main priority and must be handled seriously, because 95 percent of heroin users are HIV/AIDS positive,' Putut told a press conference at Jakarta Police headquarters in Central Jakarta.

Suspects HND and WR were arrested on April 14 in Pondok Terong in Depok, West Java, the chief said.

Investigators questioned the suspects and determined that the heroin was brought to Indonesia from Nigeria by a Nigeria national via Malaysia. The supplier, identified as KTP, gave the heroin to an unidentified Malaysian.

'From Malaysia, the heroin was smuggled to Medan [North Sumatra] via a small fisherman's boat and was received by HND. He then flew to Jakarta through Polonia airport,' Nugroho said.

Detailing how the alleged smugglers did their work, Nugroho said that HND had deceived inspectors at Polonia International Airport in Medan by wrapping the drugs in aluminum foil and secreting them in the lining of a backpack.

HND was picked up by WR at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, and the pair proceeded to Pondok Terong where they were arrested.

Nugroho said that he would fly to Medan tomorrow to talk to airport officials about how the drugs could pass through airport security. 'We will do a case reenactment in Medan tomorrow.'

During the conference, police also announced the seizure of 50,000 ecstasy pills from suspects SWND and MLYD in a hotel room in Teluk Gong, North Jakarta, on April 10, which was connected to the seizure of 126,236 of ecstasy pills on April 8.

Nugroho said that the 50,000 ecstasy pills were about to distributed in Jakarta, Bogor and Bandung.

The police estimated that the 4 kilograms of heroin and the 50,000 ecstasy pills were worth Rp 30 billion (US$3.15 million).

The police have been investigating several international drug syndicates that have been trying to smuggle more drugs into Indonesia. (hrl)