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Jakarta Police intensify crackdown on drug abuse
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Law enforcement officers show confiscated illegal drugs during a press conference at the National Police headquarters in Jakarta on Sept. 6, 2016. (JP/Seto Wardhana.)
T
he Jakarta Police have been busy in the past few days dealing with drug-related cases, which have implicated many individuals, ranging from celebrities to foreign nationals.
On Tuesday, the police’s crackdown on a red-painted shop-house in Pegadungan, Kalideres, West Jakarta, resulted in the discovery of several boxes allegedly containing more than 30 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu.
The shop-house, rented by two Chinese nationals, was reportedly used as a warehouse to stock up the meth before being distributed, Jakarta Police narcotics unit head Sr. Comr. Nico Afinta said.
“We have arrested four people, two Indonesians and two Chinese. The Indonesians allegedly played a role as porters, while the foreigners received the drug deliveries and rented the shop-house,” Nico said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
He said the police had observed the area for the last four weeks prior to the raid and would delve deeper into the case to find out who were the distributors.
Also on Tuesday, the East Jakarta Police reported that they had arrested six people, including a Riau Islands civil servant, for allegedly conducting a drugs party in Kayu Putih sub-district, Pulogadung district.
The police made the arrests following a tip-off from locals about the alleged misconduct.
East Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Andry Wibowo said the area had been notorious for drug abuse. During the raid on Sunday night, the police confiscated 48.53 grams of meth, an ATM card and electronic devices.
“The traffickers served drugs based on orders. They even served consumers from outside of the region, that’s why there is a Riau civil servant among the arrested,” he said.
In another case on Tuesday the police accused actress Pretty Asmara of linking drug dealers with celebrities in the country. Pretty was arrested on Sunday for drug possession.
“Based on her statements, [we learned that] she had been in the drug business for the past two years,” Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said.
Pretty has denied the allegations.
Separately, the police named Axel Matthew Thomas, the eldest son of actor Jeremy Thomas, a drug suspect for his alleged involvement in a transaction to buy nimetazepam, which is also known by the street name "Happy Five". (fac)
