Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Navy handed over the evidence of drug crime comprising 92.512 kg of crystal methamphetamine and 61,378 ecstasy pills to the National Narcotics Agency (BNN)-North Sumatra Office on Monday.
"We have also handed over two suspects, who had smuggled the drug packages from Malaysia into Indonesia, to the BNN," Indonesian Navy's 1st Fleet Command (Koarmada I) Chief Rear Adm. Abdul Rasyid noted in a statement that ANTARA quoted in Medan on Tuesday.
The BNN investigators were expected to uncover the drug case, he remarked.
The packages of crystal meth and ecstasy pills were smuggled by the two suspects, only identified by their initials as KH, 33, and HS, 34, by boarding a 5-GT vessel.
The naval patrol ship intercepted the suspects' boat headed to the Asahan River waters from the Malaysia-Indonesia sea border on Sunday (April 18), he noted.
The navy personnel then checked the vessel and found six rice sacks containing 110.925 kg of crystal meth and ecstasy pills in its stern, Rasyid revealed.
Along with its skipper and crew, the boat was then towed to the Indonesian Naval Base I Belawan in North Sumatra Province, while the seized drug packages were examined at the Medan Customs and Excise Office's laboratory, he stated.
The navy personnel also confiscated the 5-GT vessel, a mobile phone, and a wallet containing Rp342 thousand as the evidence of the drug crime, he noted.
Domestic and transnational drug dealers perceive Indonesia as a potential market owing to its huge population and millions of drug users.
Drug trade in the nation is valued at nearly Rp66 trillion.
People from all strata of society are falling prey to drugs in the country regardless of their socio-economic and professional backgrounds.
Over the past few decades, the Indonesian government has taken harsh punitive action against drug barons found smuggling and trading drugs in the country.
The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has pressed for capital punishment to be imposed on those involved in drug trade in the country.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has also issued shoot-at-sight orders against drug kingpins.
However, this has failed to deter drug traffickers, who continue to treat Indonesia as the main market, prompting Indonesian law enforcers to bolster vigil against them.
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EDITED BY INE
