VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mar. 10 - The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) nabbed two couriers while they were allegedly trying to smuggle six kg of drugs from Keerom district, Papua to the port city of Sorong, West Papua on March 7, 2021.

The suspected couriers, identified as Y (29) and R (31), boarded a motor vessel, KM Ciremai, serving the Jayapura-Sorong route with a package containing 6 kg of dried marijuana, coordinator of the BNN-West Papua Office's law enforcement unit, Insp-2 Ahmad Aryad, told the press on Tuesday.

The two men were apprehended as soon as the passenger ship arrived at the Manokwari seaport on Sunday evening, he informed.

During the drug raid, BNN officers seized the drug package, a black luggage, two mobile phones, and tickets for KM Ciremai, he said.

The suspects told BNN investigators that they got involved in the drug-trafficking operation after a Jayapura city resident, identified as F, paid them to deliver the marijuana package from Keerom district to Sorong.

"The suspects admitted that they were yet to know who would receive the marijuana package in Sorong," Aryad added.

The Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua remain vulnerable to drug crimes.

Early this year, the BNN-Papua Office seized 200 packets of dried marijuana from two drug dealers, identified as Wolfram Wambrau alias Opam, 27, and Yosep Demetau alias Ocep, 25.

The agency said the marijuana packages weighed 2.5 kilograms in total.

Domestic and transnational drug dealers view Indonesia as a lucrative market owing to its huge population and millions of drug users.

Drug trade in the nation is valued at nearly Rp66 trillion.

People from all strata of society are falling prey to drugs in the country regardless of their socio-economic and professional backgrounds.

Over the past few decades, the Indonesian government has taken harsh punitive action against drug barons found smuggling and trading drugs in the country.

The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has sought capital punishment for those involved in drug trade in the country.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has also issued shoot-at-sight orders against drug kingpins.

However, this has failed to deter drug traffickers, who continue to treat Indonesia as a main market, prompting Indonesian law enforcement agencies to step up efforts against them. (Antaranews)