Jakarta. A joint team of police, customs, and excise officers foiled a trans-national drug ring's attempt to smuggle 50 kg of crystal methamphetamine by boat into East Aceh district, Aceh province and arrested four persons.

During the drug raid, law enforcement personnel also seized a 30-GT boat, Aceh Police chief, Insp.Gen.Wahyu Widada, informed here on Wednesday.

"The smuggling operation was conducted through the East Aceh waters. The boat carried two sacks containing 50 packs of crystal meth with a total weight of 50 kg," he said.

The raid, carried out recently, also resulted in the apprehension of four suspects, identified by their initials as ZK, KR, ZR, and ZK, he added.

They were picked up from different places around East Aceh district, he said, adding that they had been assigned different tasks in the drug-trafficking operation.

ZK was nabbed in Bagok neighborhood, KR was arrested in Idi Tunong neighborhood, while ZK and ZR were apprehended in Idi Rayeuk neighborhood, he informed.

ZK, KR, and ZR were tasked with monitoring the situation on land and roads, while ZK was the boat's skipper and responsible for transporting the illicit drug package, he said.

East Aceh district remains prone to drug crimes committed by local residents with links to cross-border drug rings.

ANTARA has reported on frequent attempts to smuggle crystal methamphetamine into Aceh from Malaysia for trade inside and outside the province.

Last year, for instance, Aceh police launched two drug operations in East Aceh, which led to the seizure of 141 kg of crystal meth and the arrest of 15 suspects.

Besides smuggling crystal meth packages into the province, drug criminals in Aceh are also cultivating cannabis in certain areas.

On Tuesday, officers from the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) set fire to nine hectares of cannabis plantations in North Aceh district.

More than 70 thousand cannabis plants reaching 30 to 250 centimeters in height were burned to the ground in the operation.

The total weight of the destroyed cannabis plants was recorded at 35 tonnes, according to the agency.

Domestic and transnational drug dealers see Indonesia as a potential market due to its vast population and millions of drug users.

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

Data indicates that people from all societal levels are falling prey to drugs in the country, irrespective of their socio-economic and professional backgrounds. (Antaranews)