Police Foil Attempt to Import Crystal Meth Worth Rp 143b

The Jakarta Globe, Oct 10, 2014


Jakarta. Four people have been arrested after Indonesia’s National Police cracked an international drug-trafficking syndicate and confiscated 71.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of Rp 143 billion ($11.7 million).

One Indonesian, two Chinese nationals and a Hong Konger could face maximum sentences of death if found guilty of smuggling the drugs from China and Hong Kong to Indonesia.

National Police Chief Gen. Sutarman said the “staggering” amount of illicit drugs were destined for distribution in Jakarta, Palembang and other major cities around Indonesia.

“Can you imagine if these drugs got through to the market? There would be millions of Indonesian children that could become drug addicts,” Sutarman said.

A four-month long investigation led to three arrests in North Jakarta and another at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport late last month.

Police said the drugs were mostly transported via ship and stashed inside preserved oranges packaging, which threw off police sniffer dogs.

Sutarman said police worked closely with a shipping company and investigated “suspicious packages” entering the country over the four month period.

On Sept.23, police swooped on the Grand Asia Hotel in North Jakarta and arrested an Indonesian man, Agung Nugroho, with 4.5 kilograms of crystal meth. Agung informed police the drugs were from Chinese national, Lo Tin Yu.

Police arrested Lo in Hotel Horison in North Jakarta and confiscated 25 kilograms of crystal meth. The arrest led to Cau Fai Cuen, another Chinese man, who was arrested at Fave Hotel, North Jakarta.

Cau told police he had hidden drugs at an apartment in Green Bay Pluit.

“After raiding the property we found 34 kilograms of crystal meth and two cellphones,” Sutarman said.

After the three were detained, another member of the smuggling ring, identified as FKH, flew from Hong Kong to Indonesia carrying eight kilograms of crystal meth hidden inside 21 boxes of preserved oranges. Police intercepted the package at Soekarno-Hatta airport and arrested FKH.

Police estimated the drugs to be worth Rp 143 billion on the street.

The suspects have been charged with article 114 of the 2009 law on narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of death.


( They will not learn, so now after being the quests of RI for a rather long time, they'll be heading for the scrap-pile! Selamat jalan!
*