IDR 3 Billion Confiscated From Bandar In Prison: Police Reveal Money Laundering Flow Of Riau Drug Network

The cash worth Rp3 billion, allegedly the result of a narcotics crime from a dealer with the initials AA, who is a prisoner, was confiscated by the Riau Police. BETWEEN ANTARA/HO-Polda Riau

PEKANBARU Riau Regional Police confiscated IDR 3 billion in cash from a drug dealer with the initials AA who is known to be a prisoner in one of the correctional institutions in the province.

The confiscation was carried out as part of tracing the assets of the proceeds of crime controlled by AA from inside the prison.

Director of the Riau Police Narcotics Investigation, Kombes Putu Yudha Prawira, said the investigation focused not only on arresting the perpetrators and confiscation of methamphetamine, but also on efforts to cut off the flow of funds used by dealers to move their network.

"This effort is carried out as a step to impoverish drug dealers so that they no longer have the ability to move their network," said Yudha in Pekanbaru, Antara, Tuesday, December 2.

This case was revealed after the arrests of two couriers, RF (31) and HR (30), in Pekanbaru City on November 9. From them, the police confiscated 27 large packs of crystal methamphetamine with a total weight of 27 kilograms.

To investigators, the two couriers admitted that they had done three orders to pick up and send methamphetamine on AA's orders. They received a fee of Rp. 8 million per kilogram of crystal methamphetamine to deliver the illicit goods to a warehouse in Pekanbaru.

The development of the case then led to AA who was serving a sentence at the Riau Prison. From the results of the examination, AA acknowledged its role as the main controller of the network even though it was behind bars.

Investigators then charged AA with the Crime of Money Laundering (TPPU). A number of accounts used by AA, some of which are in the name of others, are blocked to comb through the flow of crime funds.

"As a result of tracing these assets, the police managed to confiscate Rp3 billion in cash, one car, seven cell phones, three ATM cards, mobile banking access, and other evidence," said Yudha.

AA alias B was charged with the Narcotics Law and Article 3 in conjunction with Article 4 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of the Crime of Money Laundering, with the threat of imprisonment of up to 20 years and a maximum fine of Rp. 10 billion.