Denpasar Police Seize 1.3kg of Crystal Meth

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Denpasar city police have foiled a drug dealer's attempt to trade 1.3 kilograms of crystal meth or sabu-sabu in the Indonesian resort island of Bali. The local police's anti-drug squad arrested a suspect named Willy, 31-year-old resident of Medan, North Sumatra Province, on November 2, Denpasar Police Chief Sen. Coms. Ruddi Setiawan told journalists on Wednesday.

Willy told police investigators that he got the 14 packets of sabu-sabu from Aji, who remains a fugitive, he said, adding that the suspect had got involved in this inter-provincial drug trafficking activity from August to October.

In Bali, he focused on trading his drug packages in Denpasar and Badung. Initially, Willy traded 300 grams of crystal meth around Renon Field, in Denpasar city. However, during his second attempt, the local police nabbed him.

Willy confessed to the police investigators that he was paid Rp10 million every time he got the drug package, Setiawan said.

The sabu-sabu was transported from Medan, the capital city of North Sumatra Province, to Bali Island by land, he added.

Willy has been charged under Article 112 Point 2 of the Indonesian Drug Law Number 35/2009 for which he could receive a jail term ranging from five to 15 years, and also pay a fine between Rp800 million and Rp8 billion.

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

According to the National Narcotics Agency's (BNN's) report, some 50 drug use-related deaths occur in Indonesia. However, their deaths have failed to deter other drug users in the country from consuming these banned substances.

Users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other addictive drugs transcend communities and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Hence, 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 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 punitive measures against them.

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

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

ANTARA