T

he distribution of Aceh-grown marijuana in Greater Jakarta has not died down despite major arrests in the course of this year.

South Jakarta Police confiscated 219 kilograms of marijuana worth Rp 876 million (US$63,313) from an alleged member of an Aceh-based syndicate, who attempted to sell the drugs in Greater Jakarta.

South Jakarta Police deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Surawan said the force had arrested the suspect, identified only by the initials MR, on Tuesday in Cendana, Tangerang city after a tip-off from South Jakarta residents. Along with him, they seized the marijuana packed in 51 brown boxes.

'€œMR is only the distributor, while the drug dealer is in Aceh in northern Sumatra. We are now hunting the drug dealer,'€ Surawan said on Thursday.

Surawan further explained that MR had received the marijuana from a man, identified as M, who resided in Aceh. M allegedly decided when and to whom MR would distribute the marijuana.

The two apparently did not know each other personally, as they only communicated via phone, according to Surawan.

Surawan pointed out that the 219 kg of marijuana was transported on a pickup truck from Aceh to Jakarta via Merak Seaport in Cilegon, Banten. It was believed to be the second shipment from M to MR.

Previously, MR had received around 200 kg of marijuana and had distributed it to the buyers.

The deputy chief added that for the distribution of the total 419 kg, M would pay MR Rp 100 million. MR had only received Rp 6 million when the police caught him.

Surawan emphasized that aside from hunting down M, police were now trying to identify the buyers to break up the syndicate'€™s business.

MR, who worked odd jobs, will be charged with Article 114 Paragraph 2 and Article 111 Paragraph 2 of Law No. 35/2009 on Narcotics, which could see him receive the death penalty.

It was only one in a series of marijuana-smuggling attempts foiled by the police this year.

In August, the Bogor Police foiled an attempt to smuggle 3.8 tons of marijuana, carrying a black market value of Rp 7.6 billion, from Aceh to Greater Jakarta via Bogor, West Java.

The police seized the drugs, which were wrapped in 81 sacks and carried on a truck, in Sentul, Bogor.

Along with the drugs, the police arrested Taufik, 47, who they alleged to be a member of a drug syndicate in Cileungsi, Bogor.

In May, the National Police confiscated 2.1 tons of marijuana from a drug syndicate operating across provincial borders in a series of raids in Jakarta.

Comr. Gen Budi Waseso, who at the time was the head of the National Police'€™s detective division, said the marijuana originated from Aceh and had been shipped to Jakarta through Medan, North Sumatra; Palembang, South Sumatra; Lampung, and Banten.

He went on to say that the activities of the syndicate had been tracked before the police carried out a raid in Gelam Bay, South Sumatra, on April 10, during which they arrested two suspects and confiscated 540 kg of marijuana.

From the first raid, the police were able to develop the case and apprehend another suspect in Sawah Besar, Central Jakarta, and seized 10 kg of dried marijuana.

The police then conducted two more raids in Depok, West Java, and Slipi, West Jakarta, in which they arrested six people and seized 1.57 tons of marijuana.

'€œIn total, we apprehended nine members of the syndicate along with three cars,'€ Budi said in May, adding that the seized marijuana was worth Rp 6.3 billion. '€œThis much marijuana can be used by 21 million people. So, we have saved 21 million Indonesian lives.'€ (agn)