INDONESIA HAS NO HESITATION TO SHOOT DOWN FOREIGN DRUG TRAFFICKERS by Fardah

Jakarta, July 25, 2017 (Antara) - Illicit drugs could be worse than terrorism as more Indonesians, particularly young people, had died because of drug abuse, than terrorism.

         Some six million Indonesians are reported to be drug users, and 30 to 40 people, mostly youths, die every day because of narcotics consumption.   
    President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has declared that the nation was in a state of drug emergency and ordered for firm action against narcotic drug traffickers to save the younger generation.

         "Do not give them any tolerance, because we are now under an emergency situation with regard to narcotic drugs," the president said on Friday (July 21).

         Indonesia is one of the few countries to have imposed the harshest drug laws in the world. Since 2015, 18 drug convicts have been executed. But it seems that the measure does not stop there.

         He remarked that the police and TNI (military) have also taken firm actions against those involved in drug abuse cases.  
    "Now Polri (police) and TNI have indeed been firm, especially while dealing with foreign drug traffickers entering the country. They will just shoot them if they defy arrest," he warned.

         Chief of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) General Gatot Nurmantyo has warned that drugs are no less dangerous than terrorism threat to the survival of the nation.

         "We need to always be on guard against the potential threats of both terrorism and drugs. Unfortunately, we tend to see only terrorism as a big threat, while the damage caused by drugs has also been widespread," the general said on July 14, 2017.

         He stated that drugs have caused the death of 15 thousand Indonesians every year, and the number had continued to rise from year to year, while terrorism had so far left only 1.5 thousand Indonesians dead.

         "That is why I said that drugs are also a serious threat to us," he noted.

         He described illicit drugs traffic in Indonesia as massive and widespread, reaching plantations areas and the outermost regions of the country.

         "From China, according to information, 250 tons of methamphetamine have been smuggled into Indonesia. A ton is enough for the consumption of five million people. This is a serious threat to us," he repeated.

         The potential damage that drugs could render has prompted the military to punish any of its members found consuming drugs, with outright dismissal, he warned.

         He expressed appreciation for the performance of police and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) in foiling an attempt to smuggle a ton of methamphetamine into the country via Serang, Banten, recently. 
    During the raid in Banten, the Jakarta and Depok Police had shot dead Lin Ming Hui and detained Chen Wei Cyuan, Liao Guan Yu, and Hsu Yung Li, all of them from Taiwan, for smuggling a ton of methamphetamine from China into Indonesia.

         Later, the officers also arrested five crew members, namely Tsai Chih Hung, Sun Chih-Feng, Kuo Chun Yuan, Kuo Chun Hsiung, and Juan Jin Sheng, of Wanderlust who had smuggled one ton drugs into Indonesia in Riau Islands.

         During the latest raid, the Jakarta Police had seized 41.557 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in Kalideres, West Jakarta.

         The officers shot dead a Chinese national, identified by his initials as LX, and arrested LY.  
    The Indonesian police have waged a war against drug trafficking in the country and will not hesitate to shoot drug traffickers resisting arrest, Senior Commissioner Argo Yuwono, spokesman of the Jakarta Police said on Monday (July 24).

         Personnel of the Jakarta police have arrested and shot dead several foreign drug traffickers lately, he noted.

         "There were many foreigners from countries such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and Africa. We must wage a war. Do not let other countries poison Indonesians," he stated.

         The Jakarta Metro Jaya Police have warned foreign drug traffickers of harsh measures if they attempted to enter Indonesia.

         "I stress here, do not try to enter Indonesia to poison Indonesian citizens. We will take very stern measures against every drug trafficker from overseas who seeks to destroy Indonesian nationals," Senior Commissioner Argo Yuwono, spokesman of the Jakarta police, said here on Monday.

         Meanwhile, a drug trafficking network carrying one ton crystal methamphetamine captured by police in Banten on July 13 was one of the 72 international drug networks operating in Indonesia, Head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Commissioner General of Police, Budi Waseso revealed.

         "It is clear that the smugglers are part of the 72 international drug networks," he stated at Police Headquarters in Jakarta recently.

         Waseso once stated that illicit drugs are weapons in a proxy war to paralyze a country's power; hence the crime must be eradicated comprehensively.   
    He had earlier declared that the agency was ready adopt the policy of shooting dead drug dealers who have spoilt the life of millions of Indonesian youth and put the future of the nation in jeopardy. ***2***
(f001/INE/B003)
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 25-07-2017