TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Correctional facilities in Indonesia are apparently unable to control the illicit activities of inmates under their watch. Inmates convicted of drug offenses seem to have no problem whatsoever in getting hold of the illegal substance. Some even act as dealers, carrying out transactions from inside their cells. The value of transactions continue to climb, reaching trillions of rupiah.

The Financial Transaction Analysis and Reporting Center (PPATK) Chief M. Yusuf, has found suspicious transactions out of prisons estimated at Rp3.6 trillion during the 2014-2015 period, made under different covers, involving money changers, travel agents and trading companies. M. Yusuf has reported this to Chief of National Narcotics Agency Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso, as he suspects that the transactions are linked to drugs. One of the persons behind the transactions is a drug dealer currently incarcerated in Cipinang prison, East Jakarta.

The transactions from prison occur daily but how can wardens and prison chief not know about them? The 'no mobile phone' rule is one of the basic rules the inmates must follow. If this rule is strictly adhered to, no inmate could possibly contact the outside, much less to have access to bank accounts.

Internal control is the weakest aspect in this prison system. The justice and human rights minister has repeatedly stated that the capacity of prison cells is not proportional to the number of occupants. Wardens have problems monitoring inmates throughout the day. Given the limited visiting hours and long queues, it is not also possible to examine visitors' items carefully. The justice minister hinted that he would throw in the towel if there were no new wardens or prisons added to correct the problem.

Budi Waseso believes otherwise. While acknowledging the unbalanced ratio between the number of wardens and inmates, he said the state must not give in. He asked why the ministry did not seek the services of police and army personnel to help out with the warden's work, such as checking visitors, to curb narcotics and mobile phone smuggling.

The National Narcotic Agency (BNN) certainly should be lauded for its recent disclosures. We are stunned by how pervasive drugs are in all levels of society, including within the Indonesian military (TNI) and the police. We are dismayed when Adj. Comr. Ichwan Lubis, chief of Belawan Port Police's anti-narcotic task force in North Sumatra, was arrested for his suspected links to an international drug ring. The police seized Rp2.3 billion from his hand and Rp8 billion from his account.

It is now hoped that the national narcotics agency would get to the bottom of the transactions reported by the PPATK, as they are suspected to be linked to an international ring. PPATK certainly can help track them down by following the money trail. It should not be hard to investigate and arrest those behind the transactions that were done from the prison under various guises. This is a huge case that needs to be unraveled. (*)

Read the full story in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine