TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - North Kalimantan's National Narcotics Agency (BNN), police, and Customs and Excise Office successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle 38 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth) from Malaysia into Tanjung Selor, Bulungan, Saturday.

The joint operation also resulted in the arrest of a suspect and confiscation of 15 packs containing the crystal meth, ANTARA learned on Saturday.

The evidence was confiscated from a car that was stopped during the joint operation Saturday morning. Detailed information is not yet available.

However, the North Kalimantan police plan to hold a press conference Sunday in this regard.

Indonesia remains under serious threat from drug dealers, as several individuals from its working-age population have been trapped in a vicious circle.

The BNN's report that some 50 Indonesians die of drug use every day has not yet deterred drug users in the country for consuming these banned substances.

The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs are from any community and from distinct socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Therefore, Indonesia is perceived by both domestic and transnational drug dealers as a potential market due to its huge population and millions of drug users. The value of the drug trade in the country is estimated to have reached nearly least Rp66 trillion.

In response to the illicit drugs that drug kingpins have smuggled into and traded in the country over the past few decades, the Indonesian government continues to apply harsh punitive action against them.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo had also issued shoot-at-sight orders against drug kingpins.

However, this has failed to deter drug traffickers. They continue to treat Indonesia as one of their main markets even as Indonesian law enforcers keep the fight going against them.

ANTARA