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Police uncover drug network in Makassar
Dangerous commodity: Packages of confiscated crystal meth are shown at a press conference in Jakarta recently
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Dangerous commodity: Packages of confiscated crystal meth are shown at a press conference in Jakarta recently. Makassar Police have uncovered a drug network in the city following a one-month operation to hunt down syndicate members. (Tempo) (Tempo)
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span class="inline inline-center">Dangerous commodity: Packages of confiscated crystal meth are shown at a press conference in Jakarta recently. Makassar Police have uncovered a drug network in the city following a one-month operation to hunt down syndicate members. (Tempo)
Police have uncovered a drug network in the city of Makassar, South Sulawesi, following a one-month investigation. Four suspected members of the syndicate, identified only by the initials A, 42, K, 19, RH, 50, and Z, 40, were arrested in separate operations.
Makassar Police narcotics division deputy chief Comr. Muhammad Fajri Mustafa said on Monday that the syndicate had attempted to distribute crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu, via delivery service on Feb.1.
Police said they confiscated a package of drugs when Andi Lolo, a suspected member of the group, was about to it up in the Makassar Boulevard area. During questioning at the police office, Andi Lolo said the package belonged to Z.
'Based on information we obtained, we pursued him (Z) for more than one month. We chased him to Kalimantan, but he escaped. On March 3, we busted Z in Palu, Central Sulawesi,' said Fajri.
The police continued their manhunt in Makassar, where they arrested two other alleged syndicate members, namely RH and K. The last suspect, A, was arrested in Parepare, South Sulawesi.
The police confiscated 14 sachets of crystal meth from the suspects, weighing 700 grams in total.
'They claimed they got the crystal meth from Pinrang [South Sulawesi] and Kalimantan. We are carrying out a further investigation to find higher-ranking figures of the network,' said Fajri.
Speaking to thejakartapost.com, Fajri said that during the investigation, all suspects appeared to conceal the network supply chain connecting them to the higher figures. They claimed not to know a drug operator reportedly supplying the crystal meth from Malaysia to Kalimantan.
Fajri said the syndicate was categorized as 'high-class' because it had distributed drugs not only in Makassar and the surrounding areas but across provinces.
He added the syndicate had no any connections with Herwin Zainal, 43, who was arrested on Jl. Kandea, Makassar, on Friday, in possession of 2 kilograms of crystal meth. The crystal meth was sent from Jakarta via courier service.
Fajri said the four suspects were charged under Articles 112 and 114 of Law No. 35/2009 on narcotics, which carries a prison sentence of five years to life.
Last month, Parepare Police foiled an attempt to smuggle 10 kg of crystal meth from Malaysia, which had been delivered via Nunukan, North Kalimantan. (afr/ebf)
