Authorities in the city of Serang, Banten, have successfully dismantled an inter-provincial drug syndicate that was being operated from inside a prison. The Chief of Serang City Police, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Candra Sasongko, revealed that the investigation led to the arrest of five individuals and the confiscation of a significant amount of illegal substances.
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Arrest and Seizure
The police operation resulted in the apprehension of five suspects and the seizure of 34 grams of methamphetamine, alongside 393,997 Tramadol and Hexymer tablets. The arrest took place in Tegal city, Central Java, where the suspects were identified as MS, RF, ZU, RS, and NZ.
Suspect Details
The suspects come from various regions across Indonesia. MS, 25, hails from Cakung village in the Binuang sub-district of Serang district, Banten. RF, 34, is a resident of Kronjo sub-district in Tangerang district, also in Banten. The other three suspects, ZU, RS, and NZ, are from North Aceh district in Aceh province, Jember in East Java province, and Tegal city in Central Java province, respectively.
Prison Involvement
The discovery of the inter-provincial drug ring traces back to the arrest of MS on February 20, 2024. Following his arrest, MS revealed that he had obtained methamphetamine from an inmate known as R. Further investigations led to the identification of other inmates, V and AH, who were also involved in the drug distribution network.
Drug Trade in Indonesia
Indonesia has become a lucrative market for both domestic and transnational drug dealers due to its large population and high number of drug users. The estimated value of the drug trade in the country is staggering, reaching nearly Rp66 trillion (approximately US$4.24 billion).
Concerning Statistics
A joint survey by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) conducted in 2019 revealed that there are over 3.4 million drug users in Indonesia. The survey also highlighted the alarming number of drug addicts in the country, with approximately 180 out of every 10,000 Indonesians aged 15 to 64 being addicted to drugs.
Overall, the successful crackdown on the inter-provincial drug ring in Serang, Banten, underscores the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and abuse in Indonesia.
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