T

he National Narcotics Agency (BNN) along with Belawan Harbor Police officers have busted a smuggling attempt of 200 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from China in a raid on a warehouse complex in Medan, North Sumatra.

In the raid on Saturday night led by BNN intelligence director Sr. Comr. I Made Astawa, officers were reportedly met with resistance but managed to arrest three men, Taufik, 38, Dicky, and Zimmy, 30, alleged to be involved in the smuggling.

The officers also confiscated the drugs, which were packed in mineral water boxes in a truck and a sedan. The car was reportedly used to escort the truck from Dumai, a port city in Riau province.

'€œThe drugs were smuggled from China via Malaysia and Dumai before being transported to Medan, the final destination,'€ North Sumatra Police Chief Sr. Comr. Helfi Assegaf said on Sunday.

Helfi rejected a rumor that the confiscated drugs weighed more than 200 kg, saying that the haul had been measured and was being kept at BNN'€™s North Sumatra headquarters.

Meanwhile, Supriyanto, 42, the truck driver, claimed not to know that the vehicle was carrying drugs.

'€œIf I knew that it was crystal methamphetamine, I would have rejected the job, even if I was paid Rp 1 billion [US$74,206],'€ Supriyanto told reporters at the warehouse.

He said the departure from Dumai was an hour late because the owner of a warehouse in Dumai, identified as Asiong, was allegedly waiting for officers from the Customs Office to escort the truck.

It remains unclear whether the three men arrested were those who resisted arrest or escorted the truck.

'€œWe are still developing the case,'€ BNN North Sumatra representative Ad. Sr. Comr. Saudara Sinuhaji said on Sunday.

The drug bust was reportedly the biggest this year.

In August, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Police seized 112,189 ecstasy pills and 94 kg of crystal methamphetamine, with a street value of Rp 206.5 billion, from four Chinese nationals.

Separately, the police nabbed a soldier in Ulak village, Nalo Tantan, Merangin regency, Jambi, for possessing 66.7 grams of methamphetamine worth millions of rupiah.

The police than handed over the member of Tanjungjabung district military command, identified only as AY, to the Muara Bungo military police for further investigation.

Merangin Police deputy chief Comr. Ferry Ferdhian said AY was earlier mobbed and beaten by villagers when he visited a food stall on Saturday and asked the stall owner to take care of a bag that contained the drugs.

Ferry said AY forced the stall owner to take his bag although the vendor tried to refuse.

Villagers approached the stall upon hearing the owner'€™s shouts for help. AY reportedly failed to escape as villagers mobbed him. The residents then handed over AY and his bag to the police.

'€œThe drugs were kept in three jars which contained 75 packages, 25 packages and 185 packages of drugs, respectively,'€ Ferry said on Sunday.

He added the drugs could be sold for between Rp 100,000 to Rp 150,000 per pack.

Besides the drugs, he said, police also found Rp 620,000 in cash, 13 cell phones, two sets of digital scales and two inhaling tools.

Military district command head Lt. Col. Budiawan Basuki confirmed the arrest of his officer.

'€œAY has been a military police target for long. He is now being processed by the military police,'€ Budiawan said.