Jakarta Police Foil Cocaine Smuggling Attempt

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Police and customs officers in Central Jakarta have foiled an attempt to smuggle 122.2 grams of cocaine from overseas on Tuesday, January 5, 2021.

The Tribunnews.com media outlet reported that “the stash of cocaine was found in a consignment of toys sent from Germany. We suspected the sender was bringing narcotics when the alarm on the X-ray machine went off,” said Kunawi head of the Customs Office in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta.

“When we found that it was cocaine, we contacted the Central Jakarta Police Precinct. They then seized the cocaine and arrested the recipient, who was identified as JJ, as a suspect in the smuggling operation.”

Central Jakarta Police Precinct Narcotics Subdivision head Police Deputy Commissioner Indrawienny Panjiyoga confirmed the arrest. “JJ was the recipient of the cocaine. We strongly suspect that he will sell the narcotic to communities of cocaine users,” he said.

Also read: 5 Indonesians Face Possible Death Penalty in Malaysia for Drug Smuggling

“JJ is an employee for a company in Jakarta, so he has been peddling cocaine to earn money on the side. This makes him ideally suited to sell cocaine, which is a drug of choice for middle-upper class customers.” 

The police charged JJ under a 2009 law on narcotics. If found guilty, he faces the death penalty or six to 20 years in prison.

Dok. Divisi Humas Polri Bareskrim Narcotics Directorate chief Police Brigadier General Krisno Halomoan Siregar (middle) at a press briefing in Bareskrim headquarters, Jakarta, Wednesday (7/10/2020)

Meanwhile, the narcotics branch of the West Java Regional Police’s Criminal Investigations Department [Bareskrim] have uncovered the attempted smuggling of 28 kilograms of crystal meth during a bust in the Jakarta satellite city of Bekasi.

“We carried out the operation in a mall on Friday, December 25, 2020, after we received a tip,” said Bareskrim Narcotics Directorate chief Police Brigadier General Krisno Halomoan Siregar on Tuesday.

Also read: Jakarta Police Seize 131 Kilograms of Crystal Meth