A joint team comprising personnel from the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), North Sumatra Police, Aceh Police and Customs and Excise Office has shot dead one alleged drug trafficker and arrested seven others believed to be linked to a Malaysian drug network.

A suspected drug dealer named Murtala from Aceh was shot dead after resisting arrest, said BNN chief Comr. Gen. Heru Winarko.

Meanwhile, the arrests of seven alleged members of a drug syndicate were made within a span of four days, from Wednesday to Saturday, in various drug raids across North Sumatra and Aceh, he added.

“The syndicate’s modus operandi in distributing drugs is by pretending to deliver fruits from Aceh to Medan,” Heru said in a press conference at BNN’s North Sumatra office on Monday.

The BNN had received a tip from a member of the public on the alleged activities of the syndicate.

In the raids, security personnel confiscated 44.7 kilograms of sabu sabu (crystal methamphetamine) and 58,000 ecstasy pills from Malaysia that were allegedly heading to Medan, North Sumatra.

The suspects could face life in prison or the death penalty should they be found guilty for violating the 2009 law on narcotics. (dpk/rin)