Kaleidoscope 2021: South Sumatra Ranked Second With Most Drug Cases

Evidence of drugs (Photo: Yudi Abdullah/Antara)

JAKARTA - The province of South Sumatra is in second place with the most cases of abuse of narcotics, psychotropic substances, addictive substances, and dangerous drugs (drugs) after North Sumatra.

Head of the Bin Ops Division of the Narcotics Investigation Directorate of the South Sumatra Police, Commissioner of Police Dwi Utomo, at the destruction of 492.9 grams of crystal methamphetamine in Palembang, some time ago said that this province was in second place after North Sumatra with the highest level of drug abuse.

This condition is a challenge for the South Sumatra Police to carry out the eradication of drug abuse more vigorously.

According to him, his party is concerned about the high rate of drug abuse in the province with 17 districts and cities.

"Based on the prevalence of the National Narcotics Agency, South Sumatra ranks second nationally for the level of drug abuse. Seeing this fact, the activities to eradicate drug trafficking are further intensified and take firm action against anyone involved in the illegal goods trafficking network," he said as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, December 29.

Based on the information of the drug suspects whose evidence of a crime was destroyed today they are only couriers for interprovincial drug dealers in Sumatra.

"The results of the disclosure of cases in October and November 2021 with seven suspects, they claimed to be couriers or messengers from the dealer to deliver drugs to buyers with varying wages," he said.

"Based on the information from the suspects, some were paid Rp10 million for three couriers. It is very sad that there were those who were paid only Rp500 thousand, but the money had not been received and the officers arrested them," said Commissioner of Police Dwi.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects, Mulki (63), a grandfather with 16 grandchildren, admitted that it was the first time he had been a meth courier because of economic needs but had been arrested by the police.

"I happened to have a family business in Medan, when I wanted to return to my place of origin in Lampung, without money, a drug dealer offered to bring more than 100 grams of crystal methamphetamine with two friends from Medan to Palembang using public buses," he said.

"We were promised a wage of Rp10 million divided by three if the goods arrived at their destination. The goods were held by his friend Dodi. When the bus entered the Palembang area, we were arrested by the police before handing over the methamphetamine package to the customer," said the suspect.

Dozens of cases at the end of the year

The South Sumatra Regional Police (Polda Sumsel) together with their ranks in the fourth week of December 2021 uncovered 37 cases of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

Head of Public Relations of the South Sumatra Police Grand Commissioner Pol Supriadi, in Palembang, Monday (27/12), from the disclosure of the case, 40 suspected traffickers and six users of the prohibited goods from a number of regencies and cities were arrested.

The suspects were secured with evidence in the form of 472.91 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 12 47 grams of marijuana, and 37.5 pills of ecstasy.

Disclosure of drug cases has increased compared to the last week of October 2021 with 35 cases with 42 suspected dealers and users as well as evidence of 216.66 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 68 sticks of marijuana, 26 pills of ecstasy.

Based on evaluations in recent weeks, drug cases are still quite high. To suppress the increase in cases, his party ordered the personnel in 17 Satwil/Police in the ranks of the South Sumatra Police to carry out operations to eradicate abuse and illicit drug trafficking and enforce the law to the fullest.

"Anyone who is proven to be storing, possessing, and distributing drugs will be processed according to legal provisions," said Grand Commissioner Supriadi.

In addition to increasing drug eradication operations, his party invites the community to jointly eradicate the abuse and illicit trafficking of prohibited goods.

If the public knows that in their neighborhood or other places there are illicit trafficking activities and drug abuse, they are asked to report to the nearest police force, said the Head of Public Relations.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Narcotics Investigation of the South Sumatra Police, Grand Commissioner Pol. Heri Istu Hariono, added that his party invited the youth in this province to participate in the Prevention and Eradication of the Abuse of Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (P4GN).

Youth is one of the groups who are vulnerable to become victims of drug abuse and are recruited to become dealers of the prohibited goods.

To save youth as the nation's next-generation from drug addiction and being involved in a network of drug dealers, it is necessary to be given an understanding of the dangers of drugs and be actively involved in carrying out P4GN actions or movements.

"P4GN activities need to be intensified to provide understanding to youth and the public about the dangers of drugs to health and encourage them to participate in law enforcement," he said.

To prevent the misuse of prohibited goods among young people, which is currently still quite high, he said, his party is trying to hold P4GN activities in schools and college campuses.

In order to overcome the problem of drug abuse and illicit trafficking of millennials, he said, his party is trying to provide guidance for victims of drug abuse and strict legal action for those who are proven to be involved in trafficking networks.

"Anyone proven to consume, store, and distribute prohibited items will be subject to legal sanctions in accordance with Law No. 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics," said the Narcotics Director.

Previously, the Head of the BNN for the Province of South Sumatra, Brigadier General Pol Djoko Prihadi, explained that through P4GN it was hoped that it would prevent the emergence of new addicts and the widespread illegal circulation of narcotics, psychotropic substances, addictive substances, and other dangerous drugs.

By increasing P4GN counseling activities and strict law enforcement, Djoko hopes to narrow the space for drug dealers and prevent the emergence of new victims, especially millennials who will become the nation's next generation.

Through efforts to eradicate and prevent drug abuse and illicit trafficking by law enforcement officers such as the South Sumatra Regional Police and BNN, hopefully the number of cases in the coming years can be reduced to a minimum so that it can save the nation's young generation from addiction to prohibited goods.