S. Sumatra Police has narcotics problem

The Jakarta Post, Thursday March 06 2014,


The South Sumatra branch of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) revealed on Thursday that 800 police officers in the province were drug users.

South Sumatra BNN chief, Brig. Gen. Bontor Hutapea, said that some 300 policemen from various ranks had been treated for drug addiction at the Betung Non-Commissioned Officers Police School in Banyuasin.

He said that this number did not include personnel treated independently.

Bontor said rehabilitation for the general public was held at a facility in Lido, Sukabumi, West Java.

“There were 118 people sent to Lido in 2013 while eight this year have been sent so far ,” Bontor was quoted as saying by tempo.co.

According to South Sumatra BNN data, there were more than 83,000 drug users in South Sumatra who mostly consumed crystal methamphetamine and marijuana.

South Sumatra BNN eradication division head, Adj. Comr. Hesbin Fadila, said that there was an increasing trend in drug abuse amid a variety in supply. He said that South Sumatra had become a market, not only a transit point for the distribution of drugs.



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