There are Still Networks Aside from Fredy Pratama
Translator
Editor
30 September 2023 12:03 WIB
By scale, is Fredy Pratama’s network bigger?
We think so. He’s in Thailand now. It means he has assets there too and controls (his business) from a far. That’s why we don’t act alone in an operation like this. Fortunately, we’ve been already coordinating with several countries so we receive assistance from Malaysia and Thailand.
Why did Fredy choose Thailand?
He’s married to a Thai woman. His family is there.
Are there any other reasons?
From our analysis, he feels he’s safer there, of course. We will be in hot pursuit if he’s here in Indonesia. Not because the Indonesian police are better or more powerful but although he’s in another country and controls his operation here from there, it means his crimes happen here.
He’s relatively safe because he committed the crimes from another country?
I don’t know what kind of crimes he committed in Thailand. If he lives in Thailand and the goods he is dealing with do not come from Thailand, for example, then he is not committing any crime in Thailand. Besides, he also has his extended family in Thailand.
How was he able to build a cartel of this caliber?
We can’t be certain where he came from until he became like this. But sometimes people can make it big because there is someone behind them or they simply stumble upon something big by a stroke of luck.
Has Fredy been possibly lucky or made big (by the help of someone)?
Everything is possible. From the beginning, he was already involved in the drug trade. Perhaps he was looking for something even bigger and trying to find conveniences and opportunities.
Did Fredy’s sabu-sabu and ecstasy pills definitely come from Myanmar? How did he order them?
We haven’t gotten into how he ordered them and so on.
They were from Myanmar, right?
From the Golden Triangle. Myanmar.
What made the police sure that they were from Myanmar? Are there special characteristics?
Goods packed in Chinese tea packaging usually come from there. Those from the Middle East usually come in Tupperware containers. The one that we seized in Aceh came from Afghanistan. They came in Tupperware without any writing inside.
Which is the entry point into Indonesia?
Most of them came through Sumatra, from the east coast. It is indeed a long coast situated right across Malaysia, and not so far from Malaysia.
What about other entry points besides Sumatra?
Kalimantan. We caught one in Kinabalu, Sarawak, that came via land.
Is the Operation Escobar named after the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar?
Our colleagues saw this as something big and organized. And a really big organized drug mafia that often appears in movies is Escobar. Okay, done, we picked the name, Escobar. First, at least it motivated our members to dismantle something like this, a huge network. It also made them proud. Second, because their operations were similar, meaning Fredy Pratama’s syndicate ran well-organized and international operations.
The team members are not just from the National Police Headquarters?
We also involved regional police departments. It’s a joint team, coupled with assistance from other countries. This is a pretty big joint operation.
Read the Full Interview in Tempo English Magazine
