INDONESIA SEIZES OVER 4 TONNES OF NARCOTICS, NEARLY 10,000 ARRESTED

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, March 5 (Bernama) -- Indonesian authorities have seized a staggering 4.171 tonnes of narcotics worth an estimated 2.72 trillion rupiah (around US$166 million) in a nationwide crackdown in the first two months of this year.

The Criminal Investigation Agency-led operation, conducted from January to Feb 27, resulted in the arrest of 9,586 suspects and the uncovering of nearly 6,900 drug-related cases. 

The agency’s head, Commissioner-General Wahyu Widada, said the seized drugs, including 1.28 tonnes of methamphetamine, 346,959 ecstasy pills, 493 kilogrammes of cannabis, 3.4 kilogrammes of cocaine, 1.6 tonnes of synthetic tobacco, and over two million other illicit pills, could have affected more than 11 million people.

“The fight against narcotics must be comprehensive, targeting both supply and demand. We are committed to waging an uncompromising war against drugs,” he said this at an online press briefing.

Police also dismantled several international trafficking networks, including one linked to Freddy Pratama, one of Southeast Asia’s most wanted drug lords.

Four foreign nationals were arrested in connection with the case, with officers seizing 35 kilogrammes of methamphetamine and more than 1,000 ecstasy pills.

Traffickers used a range of smuggling methods, Wahyu said, including land routes from Sumatra to Java, maritime shipments from the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent regions, and official courier services.

Some syndicates operated clandestine drug laboratories in high-security luxury residences.

“We are seeing increasingly sophisticated smuggling techniques, including the use of cargo shipments and maritime routes,” he said, adding that they also seized assets linked to drug-related money laundering worth 853 million rupiah (about US$52,000).

-- BERNAMA