INDONESIAN DRUG ENFORCEMENT BUSTS METH LAB IN APARTMENT NEAR JAKARTA

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has dismantled a clandestine laboratory producing crystal methamphetamine in an apartment near Jakarta, believed to have generated about one billion rupiah (US$61,000) over the past six months.

In a joint operation with Customs officials, officers raided a unit in an apartment building in Cisauk, Tangerang regency, Banten province, last Friday, following weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering.

“Two suspects involved in producing the meth and another in its distribution were arrested, all repeat offenders previously convicted in a similar case in 2016,” BNN said in a statement.

The agency said the group produced methamphetamine by extracting precursor chemicals from around 15,000 asthma tablets, yielding around one kilogram of pure ephedrine, using laboratory equipment and materials bought online.

During the raid, authorities seized 209 grams of crystal meth, 319 millilitres of liquid meth, 1.06 kilograms of ephedrine, 1.5 litres of acetone, 400 millilitres of sulphuric acid, and 3.43 litres of toluene, along with other laboratory tools.

BNN said the case shows its commitment to eradicating narcotics amid increasingly complex methods by drug syndicates, including using apartments for hidden production and distribution.

The suspects have been charged under Indonesia’s Narcotics Law No. 35 of 2009, which carries penalties ranging from five years in prison to the death sentence.

-- BERNAMA