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Arrested soldiers 'supplied ecstasy to Jakarta nightclubs'
The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) is investigating two arrested Indonesian soldiers for allegedly distributing drugs at nightclubs around Jakarta
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T
he National Narcotics Agency (BNN) is investigating two arrested Indonesian soldiers for allegedly distributing drugs at nightclubs around Jakarta.
BNN chief Budi Waseso told reporters on Tuesday that his personnel had a list of nightclubs that were supplied by the suspects, identified only as Lt. Col. WW, 51, and Sgt. Maj. SI, 43.
'The two suspects are our target related to a syndicate supplying drugs to nightclubs in Jakarta,' he said as quoted by kompas.com.
He refused to name the venues in question given the investigation was still ongoing.
The drug syndicate had infiltrated the military and harmed the institution's image, Budi said. 'We should not let the wrongdoings of a few personnel give the institution a bad name,' he said.
He also stressed that the fight against drugs needed to include all parties and institutions.
The arrest of WW and SI follows the earlier arrest by BNN officers of a suspected drug courier, along with his wife, who had been the target of BNN investigations for a while, and according to his own testimony worked as a courier for WW.
WW was then nabbed in Ceger, Kampung Rambutan, East Jakarta on Sunday night. The police also confiscated 1,000 ecstasy pills from WW, which allegedly were to be passed on to SI.
The police apprehended SI after a shootout, during which the suspect sustained six gunshot wounds. 'The suspect opened fire at the investigators. Hence, we needed to take action to immobilize him,' Budi said.
SI was brought to nearby Sukanto Hospital in Kramat Jati to be examined before he was transferred to Kesdam Jaya hospital in Cijantung, East Jakarta.
BNN spokesman Sr. Comr. Slamet Pribadi said the agency had officially handed the two suspects over to the Military Police (Denpom) on Monday morning.
Slamet said the investigators so far had not found any clues that other military officers were involved in the case.
'We have also not found the suppliers of the pills,' he said, adding that the investigation was still going on.
Separately, Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesperson Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman said the two arrested TNI personnel could be discharged from their positions.
'They will undergo the [military] legal process. Possible sanctions range from imprisonment to administrative punishment as well as additional punishment, which is dismissal,' he said, as quoted by tribunnews.com.
Tatang said he appreciated the BNN's efforts in fighting drug crime. 'In this case, TNI conveys its gratitude to BNN, as it has helped us fight against drugs,' he said.
He added that the TNI was always open with regards to violations by its personnel. 'We are committed to disclose cases of wrongdoing by any personnel,' he said.
A naval officer, a commander identified by his initials AS, was arrested while taking shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) in a hotel room in Semarang, Central Java, in 2013.
In 2012, BNN arrested an intelligence officer who worked for TNI's Strategic Intelligence Agency, along with civilian accomplices, for their alleged involvement in the smuggling of more than 1.4 million ecstasy pills, which was hailed as one of the biggest raids in the past decade.
