Couple Of Drug Couriers Rp 18.8 Billion From Riau Arrested, Threatened With Death Penalty

PEKANBARU - A married couple (couple) was arrested by the Riau Police's Narcotics Directorate III for being a drug courier worth Rp. 18.8 billion. The drugs that were confiscated from the perpetrators were methamphetamine and ecstasy pills.

The pairs arrested were ZM (30) and SA (28). Both were arrested along with two other men, namely AF (23) and DS (30). The four perpetrators were arrested in two different locations in the Sei Kijang area, Pelalawan Regency, Riau.

The Director of Drug Investigation (Dirresnarkoba) of the Riau Police, Kombes Putu Yudha Prawira, said that the illicit goods they brought were worth more than Rp. 18.8 billion, consisting of 9.87 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 30,000 ecstasy pills.

"They are husband and wife ZM and SA. They served as sweepers who informed the second car about the safe road situation or not," said Kombes Putu, last Thursday.

Putu explained, the first arrest took place on Monday (10/2/2025) then on Jalan Lintas Timur Km 34, Bandar Sei Kijang District, Pelalawan Regency, Riau.

"In this first location, we secured three people, namely ZM, AF, and SA. Of the three suspects, no evidence of drugs was found at this location. The three of them acted as lane monitoring to ensure the journey of narcotics shipments," he said.

After being developed, the opsnal team then moved to the second location in the parking lot of a mosque on Jalan Lintas Maredan, Bandar Sei Kijang District. There, the police arrested DS and MH. "After further investigation, the police named four people as suspects, namely ZM, AF, SA, and DS," he said.

The suspects are now detained at the Riau Police Headquarters and charged with Article 114 paragraph (2) and Article 112 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 132 paragraph (1) of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics, with the threat of a maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment.