TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Police’s forensic laboratory member Adj. Sr. Comr. Jaswanto said the police had discovered the circulation of illegal drugs containing methoxetamine (MXE) believed to trigger suicidal feelings.

This type of narcotics, the police said, was often abused as a recreational drug. “It’s used as a recreational drug,” said Jaswanto at the Jakarta Police headquarters on Monday, February 25.

Other than suicidal thoughts, the drugs also cause negative side effects, such as speech problems, sensory distortions, paranoia, and regurgitation. They also generate short-term effects such as hallucination, increased empathy, and mild happiness.

“Methoxetamine causes more negative effects,” said Jaswanto.

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The drugs' circulation in the illegal market was uncovered after the police arrested a suspect [SS] on Tuesday, February 12, in Central Jakarta at the parking lot of Husada Hospital. The suspect was about to make a drug transaction with a potential buyer.

At the suspect’s apartment in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, the police confiscated 9 thousand MXE pills, 874 grams of crystal meth, 70 "happy five" pills, a digital scale, sealer equipment, two bongs, and 4 glass pipes.

The police are currently hunting down two other potential suspects with initials: R, who lives in Pontianak, and N, who is currently in Malaysia.

ADAM PRIREZA