Joint Forces Raid 'Drug Village' In Surabaya

SURABAYA - Joint officers from the East Java Police's Narcotics Directorate and the East Java Provincial National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) raided a village on Jalan Kunti, Sidotopo District, Surabaya, which is popularly known as the "drug village".

"In the raid, we deployed 450 joint troops," said Head of the Binops Division of the Narcotics Directorate of the East Java Police, AKBP Syamsul Makali in Surabaya, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, October 6.

Arriving at the location, officers combed through a place suspected of being used for crystal methamphetamine, in the form of small beds made of wood with tarpaulin roofs in a narrow alley in the area.

However, when the officers conducted a search, a fire alarm was installed which served to warn those police officers had arrived at the location.

"If an officer comes to press the alarm. What is the purpose, so that dealers and dealers can run away so they don't get caught," said Syamsul.

Syamsul admitted that at the location they had supported each other for drug crimes. "We found four pockets of crystal methamphetamine here," he added.

Syamsul said that in this operation the officers hunted for three Operational Targets (TO), but only arrested one TO.

"There are three TOs, which we are targeting, in the Kunti area, Sidotopo, but we got one TO on behalf of MS. The other two were not in place," he said.

Not only taking action, but the police also conduct checks on suspicious people while hanging out. Those caught are also required to have a urine test.

"Because it is densely populated here, and there are many small boarding houses, and immigrants from anywhere, and this place is a vulnerable area," continued Syamsul.

Regarding efforts to eliminate the stigma of Jalan Kunti as a drug den, continued Syamsul, first conducting routine raids to cause a deterrent effect.

"If they are still here later. Yes, we will carry out another large-scale operation here," he asserted.

"In the future, it is possible that we will establish a village post that is clean for drugs, a strong village that is clean of drugs," he said.