Courier 40 Kilogram of Opium Sentenced to Life in Prison

MEDAN - A panel of judges at the Medan District Court, North Sumatra, sentenced Aswari (30) to life imprisonment as a courier for 40 kilograms of methamphetamine.

"Punishing the defendant Aswari with life imprisonment," said Presiding Judge Joko Widodo when reading the verdict at the Medan District Court, Wednesday, February 11, reported by ANTARA.

Joko said the defendant was proven to be legally and convincingly guilty of committing a narcotics crime, as in the primary indictment, after being proven to have brought methamphetamine from Aceh to Jakarta.

The panel of judges stated that the defendant's actions were proven to have violated Article 114 paragraph (2) of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

In its consideration, the panel of judges said that the aggravating circumstances of the defendant's actions were not supporting the government's program in eradicating the illicit circulation of narcotics.

"While it is a mitigating factor, the defendant behaved politely during the trial," he said.

After reading the verdict, Presiding Judge Joko Widodo gave the opportunity to the defendant and the Belawan District Attorney's public prosecutor to express their attitude towards the verdict.

"The defendant and the public prosecutor are given seven days to state their position, whether to appeal or accept this verdict," said the Chief Judge.

The life sentence is lighter than the demand of the JPU Rizki Fajar Bahari who previously demanded the defendant Aswari with the death penalty.

In the indictment, the prosecutor said the case began with the arrest of Dedi Kurniawan (separate file) by the North Sumatra Police on Jalan Lintas Sumatera Medan-Banda Aceh, Pekan Besitang Village, Langkat Regency, on Friday, August 16, 2024.

From the development of the case, Dedi admitted that he obtained methamphetamine from Muhammad Buaisi alias Boy (DPO) at the order of Erwin (DPO).

On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, Dedi again provided information to the Buaisi police that he would deliver methamphetamine in the near future.

Based on this information, the police conducted an investigation until Monday, June 2, 2025, obtained information that Buaisi was on the Medan-Banda Aceh Sumatra Cross Road, Pantai Bidari District, East Aceh Regency, carrying methamphetamine.

Around 17.00 WIB, officers carried out enforcement and secured Aswari who was driving a white car.

From the results of the search, the police found 40 plastic bags of Chinese tea containing methamphetamine weighing about one kilogram each, so that the total evidence reached 40 kilograms.

During the examination, Aswari admitted that he was ordered by Muhammad Buaisi and Junaidi alias Junet (DPO) to find a driver named Rakjab (DPO) to bring the methamphetamine to Jakarta.

"The defendant was promised a reward of a certain amount of money after the narcotics were handed over at the destination," said Rizki.