TEMPO.CO, Tangerang - The Jakarta Police Directorate for Narcotics shot dead three narcotics couriers, who were carrying crystal meth in Pagedangan, Tangerang. The three couriers were caught red-handed carrying methamphetamine weighing 288 kilograms using a silver Daihatsu Grand Max car.

Jakarta Police Chief, Inspector General Nana Sudjana, said that the police had been monitoring the three perpetrators, prior to the shooting.

“We chase them when we physically saw the car and they shot their firearms," the police said at the raid location on Thursday, January 30, 2020.

According to Nana, the perpetrators had just arrived from Merak. When officers saw the perpetrators, a car chase occurred until the vehicles used by the police and the perpetrators collided.

“Arriving in the area of Pagedangan, the police intercepted (the perpetrators). One of the perpetrators shot an officer who was trying to arrest them," he said, adding that the police officers decisively retaliated.

Resultantly, two perpetrators were shot dead at the scene and another one passed away on the way to the hospital.

The police pointed out that the perpetrators belonged to an international network. This indication can be seen from the cloth wrapped around the meth box. "There is a special stamp with the code '555' originating from Iran. The initials of the three perpetrators were GUN, AM, and IA," Nana said.

Lastly, he added that the police will continue to investigate the network of the drug couriers from the evidence obtained, namely the cellphones belonging to the perpetrators.

The Jakarta Police will continue to pursue both the distributors and dealers of methamphetamine.

MUHAMMAD KURNIANTO | DIO SUHENDA (Intern Translator)