TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of drug abusers in the city of Bogor and Bogor regency is estimated to have reached 1.2 million people, with more than half of the users addicted to methamphetamine. Around 1 kilogram of meth is sold on a daily basis in Bogor, with an estimated street value of Rp1.8 billion.
"Bogor has the second largest number of drug users in the province, behind Bandung. What's worrying is that the cases are equally distributed across the demographics, including students," the head of Bogor's National Anti-Narcotics Agency (BNN) Setia Nugraha Budhi told Tempo in Cibinong on Tuesday, October 7, 2014.
According to Budhi, proximity and easy access to the capital are among the contributing factors to the significant number of drug cases in Bogor, whose strategic location makes it a favorite among major drug dealers and producers, which often choose to operate out of Bogor.
BNN is also beefing up their surveillance following the influx of foreigners who opt to marry local girls from the area. "Many foreigners marry local girls as a cover to hide their illicit activities as drug dealers or producers," explained Budhi. "They live in Bogor because it's cheaper and it's close to Jakarta."
In light of this threat, BNN Bogor is cooperating with the Bogor Immigration Agency to keep a closer watch on foreigners who are suspected of being part of an international crime syndicate. "We take a closer look at elite housing complexes and mountain villas," said Budhi.
BNN said that drug abuse in Bogor had reached an alarming height, as cases could be found even in remote rural areas, including West Bogor. "Last week we apprehended a meth dealer in a village deep in Leuwiliang district, far away from an urban center," said Budhi, who confiscated a number of meth packages in the operation.
BNN data shows that out of all drug-related arrests in Bogor, 40 percent of the suspects were caught with methamphetamine, while possession of illegal alcohol amounted to 31 percent. Marijuana offenses account for 20 percent, heroin accounts for 2 percent, while 3 percent of offenders were caught with ecstasy. The remaining 4 percent were caught in possession of a G-class restricted substance.
The total amount of drug cases reported has reached 4.2 million, with offenders' ages ranging from 10-60 years of age. The amount of money that circulated in Bogor's drug trade is estimated to be at the tune of Rp42.8 trillion per year.
The majority of the users are between 16-30 years of age. Twelve percent of all offenders listed elementary school as the highest degree of education attained. Twenty four percent of offenders have a junior high school diploma, while 62 percent have a senior high school diploma. Two percent of offenders were enrolled in higher education. "According to our data, one out of 17 residents is a drug user," said Budhi.
"There are addicts who are still in elementary school," he finished.
ARIHTA U. SURBAKTI
