In the bustling city of Jayapura, located in the Indonesian province of Papua, a significant drug smuggling operation was foiled by the diligent efforts of the local police force. The incident unfolded in the early hours of Thursday, March 21, 2024, when two citizens from neighbouring Papua New Guinea (PNG), Junior Lenga and Rindox, were apprehended for attempting to smuggle a staggering 51 packages of marijuana into Papua.
According to Senior Commissioner Alfian, the Narcotics Investigation Director of the Papua Police, the suspects were intercepted at approximately 2:15 a.m. local time in the Hamadi Hanurata neighbourhood of Jaya Selatan Sub-district. The cunning smugglers had concealed the illicit substances within four sacks of rice, hoping to evade detection. However, the keen-eyed police officers uncovered their ploy and swiftly took them into custody.
It was revealed that Junior Lenga, one of the arrested individuals, was already a wanted criminal, having previously escaped from the Abepura Penitentiary while serving time for a prior drug smuggling offence. This latest incident underscores the persistent threat posed by drug trafficking in the region, with PNG citizens frequently implicated in cross-border narcotics operations that target Papua.
In a bid to combat the scourge of drugs, Senior Commissioner Alfian urged the local community to actively support law enforcement by reporting any suspicious activities related to drug trafficking. He emphasised the importance of cooperation between residents and the police in safeguarding their neighbourhoods from the detrimental effects of drug trade.
This recent arrest adds to a string of similar incidents in Papua, with drug smuggling activities continuing to thrive despite ongoing efforts to curb them. The value of the illicit drug trade in Indonesia is estimated to be a staggering Rp66 trillion, underscoring the scale of the challenge faced by authorities in stemming the flow of narcotics.
Furthermore, a joint survey conducted by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) revealed that there are over 3.4 million drug users in Indonesia, with addiction cutting across various demographics and socio-economic strata. The prevalence of substances like crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, and marijuana underscores the need for sustained vigilance and collaborative action to address the drug epidemic plaguing the nation..
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