Narcotics Circulation Syndicate, 5 Barelang Police Officers Arrested By Riau Islands Police

Illustration of methamphetamine (ANTARA) drugs

Head of Public Relations of the Riau Islands Regional Police (Head of Public Relations of the Riau Police) Kombes Zahwany Pandra Arsyad, said the news of the arrest of 5 members of the Narcotics Unit of the Barelang Police by the Propam Polda Kepri and Bareskrim Polri was in the context of being investigated.

Pandra explained that the five members of the Narcotics Unit of the Barelang Police were investigated to strengthen evidence in handling criminal cases involving the former Head of Narcotics Unit of the Barelang Police, Kompol SN, along with 9 of its members.

"To strengthen the criminal process, that's why the 5 people were actually asked for information related to strengthening the criminal elements suspected of 10 people (members of the Narcotics Unit of the Barelang Police)," said Pandra, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, September 20.

The former Head of Public Relations of the Lampung Police emphasized that this step was the commitment of the Riau Islands Police Chief Inspector General Yan Fitri Halimansyah in the efforts of the National Police to support the prevention, eradication, abuse and illicit drug trafficking (P4GN) program.

In addition, it is also related to enforcing the rules of the National Police Regulation (Perpol) Number 7 of 2022 concerning the inherent supervision of members, as well as the priority program of the National Police Chief, namely regarding inherent supervision by the leadership of its members and supervision by the community.

"So there is an addition (5 people) which means to strengthen. The point is now the target is at the Barelang Police, which is said to be elements at the Barelang Police, especially in the narcotics unit, which is still related to these people," he said.

According to him, the examination of the 5 members of the Narcotics Unit of the Barelang Police was to investigate the criminal elements that would be suspected of 10 members of the Barelang Police Narcotics Unit who had been sanctioned by PTDH, for abusing their authority to set aside 1 kg of crystal methamphetamine.

"This means that the elements are investigated again, so the evidence is still the same, the people are the ones," he said.

Pandra emphasized that the Riau Islands Police are focusing on resolving the case of 10 members of the Barelang Police Narcotics Unit who have been sanctioned with dishonorable dismissal (PTDH). Where, 10 people consisting of 3 officers and 7 non-commissioned officers are in the process of filing an appeal to the National Police Headquarters.

At the same time, the Riau Islands Police and Bareskrim Polri are also investigating the criminal offenses committed by the 10 people, so information is needed to fulfill the elements of the alleged article, it is necessary to examine the 5 members of the Narcotics Unit.

"Regarding these 5 people, it is one part of how the Riau Islands Police are still focused on the 10 people. This means that there are those in PTDH ka, whose 3 groups of officers are currently appealing at the National Police Headquarters, plus 7 who are non-commissioned officers, which means a total of 10 right," said Pandra.

Pandra added that the PTDH process for the 10 people was still ongoing. Meanwhile, the Riau Islands Police focused on strengthening the evidence of criminal elements that would be suspected.

"PTDH has been realized, especially the criminal element. The criminal element is not playing games, let alone narcotics problems, based on Law Number 35 of 2009 is related to networks," he said.

For this reason, the Riau Islands Police are investigating the network involved in the case of the 10 members of the Barelang Police Narcotics Unit.

"The meaning of the network was not just that time, there were many networks. That was asked for information from them (5 other members)," he explained.

He said the 5 members of the Barelang Police Narcotics Unit were not secured, but were questioned. However, if it fulfills the elements of the violation, it will be criminally and ethically processed.

"I mean, just ask for information first, whether the elements will be fulfilled or not, all of this is now secured. Not being secured but being questioned internally," he said.

The five people, he said, were examined by the Riau Islands Police Propam to strengthen the handling of cases against 10 members who had been sanctioned by PDTH.

"The Riau Islands Police are still focused on the PTDH case, it means that the handling of the professional code of ethics has been decided by PTDH, but now to strengthen the crime, we ask for information from several related people earlier, only for questioning," he said.

This examination, he continued, is the commitment of the Riau Islands Police Chief, how the law should not be sharp downwards but blunt upwards. So there is a deterrent effect, and there are no more members of the National Police who play with drugs.

Pandra also confirmed that the handling of criminal cases against 10 members of the Barelang Police Narcotics Unit received assistance and supervision from the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police Headquarters.

"That's right, assistance and supervision from Bareskrim Polri. So it is of the nature of asistance and supervision from Bareskrim Polri so that the strong construction of the articles suspected of being the 10 suspects is strong," said Pandra.

Reportedly, a number of media in Batam reported that 5 members of the Narcotics Unit of the Barelang Police were arrested by the Police Headquarters Internal Security (Paminal), related to the results of the development of examinations of 10 members of the Barelang Police Narcotics Unit who had undergone an ethics trial.

It was also reported that the five members came from unit 2 of the Narcotics Unit of the Barelang Police, while the 10 members who had been processed the ethics were from unit 1.