T

he National Narcotics Agency (BNN) arrested a middle-ranking Naval officer and a member of the Indonesian Police (Polri) for drug possession.

BNN spokesman Sumirat Dwiyanto confirmed that the two officers were arrested in Semarang in Central Java for possession of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu.

Media reports initially said the Naval officer, a commander identified by the initials AS, was arrested while taking shabu-shabu in a hotel room. But it was later confirmed that he was arrested after purchasing drugs from the police officer, a detective with the Central Java Police.

The police officer was also arrested, but has yet to be identified.

Late on Monday, a number of high-ranking Naval officials descended on the BNN headquarters in East Jakarta. Some of the officials, however, declined to confirm if their presence was related to the arrest of AS.

The TNI has been under the spotlight in recent months for a string of cases involving its members.

Earlier in March, 11 members of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) raided a prison in Sleman, Yogyakarta and murdered four detainees.

The four detainees killed execution-style were: Johanes Juan Manbait, Gamaliel Yeremianto Rohi Riwu, Adrianus Candra Galaja and Hendrik Angel Sahetapy, alias Deki. The detainees had been accused of killing Sgt. Heru Santoso, a former Kopassus member during a fight at Hugo's cafe in the Sleman area.

This month, 10 members of the Army's 13th Engineering Construction Battalion (Yon Zikon 13) attacked several people at the PDI-P headquarters, wounding at least three security officers and staff members.

The attack was reportedly ignited by PDI-P guards attempting to protect a high school student who was being hunted by the soldiers. The youth was involved in a fracas over a minor traffic incident with some of the soldiers and fled to the party's office.

Army commander Gen. Pramono Eddhie Wibowo said that all officers involved in the violence were currently under investigation.