A drug syndicate arrested in Petamburan allegedly financed by a terrorist network

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Police arrested members of the Middle East drug syndicate network in the Petamburan, Tanah Abang area, Central Jakarta on Tuesday (12/22/2020) evening.

Polda Metro Jaya’s head of Public Relations, Kombes Pol Yusri Yunus, said that according to the investigation, the circulation of 201 kilograms of methamphetamine was suspected of financing a terrorist network.

“Indeed, the results of profiling and there are indications that these illegal items were used to finance terrorism in the Middle East,” Yusri told Polda Metro Jaya on Wednesday.

Yusri stressed that investigators are still investigating the statements of the 11 suspects who were arrested in order to learn their links to terrorist networks in Indonesia.

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“This is a temporary suspicion. We are continuing to explore whether there is a connection to terrorism in Indonesia at this time,” Yusri said.

Metro Jaya Deputy Chief of Police Brigadier General Pol Hendro Pandowo said earlier that the arrests of the suspects stem from information received by their ranks about drug trafficking. Police carried out the investigation and later arrested members of the international network’s drug syndicate.

“Currently the joint team of the National Police Headquarters and Polda Metro Jaya are developing the two perpetrators. It is possible that this drug union has other actors or other evidence that is still being investigated, ”Hendro said.

Hendro said the number of confiscated shabu-shabu members was valued at 156 billion rupees.

“With 201 kilograms of shabu-shabu, we can save 1 million human lives. The value if we divide it is 156 billion rupees,” Hendro said.