Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA) - The North Sumatra police apprehended a drug courier who attempted to transport 13 kg of crystal methamphetamine to Jakarta from East Aceh District on August 13, 2021, according to a police spokesperson.
The suspect, identified as MA, was arrested on a Medan-Banda Aceh road section in Tanjung Pura Sub-district, Langkat District, North Sumatra Province, North Sumatra Police Spokesperson Senior Commissioner Hadi Wahyudi said.
This 21-year-old suspect told the police investigators that the crystal meth packages belonged to a resident of Aceh Province named Putra, Wahyudi said in a statement that ANTARA quoted here Sunday.
The suspect, who resides in Lueng Puet Village, Madat Sub-district, East Aceh District, concealed the drug packages into two separate bags, he said.
MA confessed that Putra would pay him Rp103 million for transporting the package through the Trans-Sumatra highway to Jakarta, Wahyudi said, adding that the police still investigate the case.
Aceh remains vulnerable to drug smuggling and trafficking.
Last April, for instance, a joint team of police, customs, and excise officers foiled a trans-national drug ring's attempt to smuggle 50 kg of crystal meth by boat into East Aceh, and arrested four persons.
During the drug raid, law enforcement personnel also seized a 30-GT boat, according to Aceh Police Chief Inspector General Wahyu Widada.
"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," Widada 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.
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 indicate that people from all societal levels are falling prey to drugs in the country, irrespective of their socio-economic and professional backgrounds.
