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olice are urging the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) to resolve a case involving Belawan Police narcotics division chief Adj. Comr. Ichwan Lubis who has been accused of laundering more than Rp 2 billion (US$148,000) obtained from drug dealing.

North Sumatra Police public information division head Adj. Sr. Comr. MP Nainggolan said he believed the BNN was acting professionally in investigating Ichwan and promised the police would not interfere with the investigation until a court reached a verdict.

“Please let the BNN resolve the case. If he [Ichwan] is found guilty, he will definitely face sanctions, but only when a court verdict is reached,” Nainggolan told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

He admitted many officers of the North Sumatra Police had been dismissed after being proven guilty of being involved in drug cases.

“Last year, we fired 10 officers for their involvements in drug cases,” he said.

Ichwan was arrested by BNN personnel in Medan on Thursday because of his alleged connections to an international Malaysia-Aceh-Medan syndicate allegedly run by Toni Togi, who has been accused of dealing drugs from inside Lubukpakam Prison in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra.

Based on the BNN investigation, Ichwan allegedly received funds amounting to Rp 2.3 billion from suspect Tjun Hin, alias Ahin, who was known as a treasurer for the drug syndicate. Toni was arrested on March 26 inside the prison. Besides Toni, the BNN also apprehended 21 people in connection with the international ring.

The agency also seized 97 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and over 13 kilograms of ecstasy pills that were apparently supplied by a trader, whom police identify only as B, from Malaysia. Toni has been accused of ordering 97 kilograms of meth, 44,849 ecstasy pills and 6,000 “happy five” pills from B in the last four months.

Meanwhile, BNN chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso said his officers arrested Ichwan after further investigating the case against Toni.

“While developing the case, we found one of the suspects had a relationship with a police officer. We found suspicious transactions between them,” Budi said.

Based on the BNN’s preliminary investigation, Budi said Ichwan had allegedly asked for Rp 8 billion from Toni, but he said during Ichwan’s arrest BNN officers only found Rp 2.3 billion with the suspect.

He said his agency would involve police internal affairs to further investigate the suspect. “Ichwan is still being examined at the BNN.”

Like at Lubukpakam Prison, the BNN had earlier busted a drug syndicate operating out of Kerobokan Penitentiary, Bali, after it arrested a woman who received drugs in December last year.

A fire destroyed the Malabero state detention center in Bengkulu city, Bengkulu province, on March 27, killing five people who were being detained for alleged involvement in drug crimes.