Some 122 kg of crystal meth seized during maritime operations: BNN

Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA) - The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has wrapped up the integrated maritime interdiction operations during which the Indonesian authorities could have seized 122 kg of crystal methamphetamine from arrested drug smugglers.

The BNN officers and their counterparts from the National Police and several government agencies also found those violating maritime and customs rules, BNN Eradication Deputy Head Arman Depari said.

During the operations, conducted in the western and eastern Indonesia's territorial waters, the joint team of personnel handled two violations of customs rules, and two violations of maritime law, he said.

Depari attended the closing ceremony of the operations, which took place at Belawan Port's Ujung Baru Berth, about 24 km away from Medan city in North Sumatra, on Saturday, to represent BNN Head Petrus Reinhard Golose.

The 122 kg of crystal meth were seized from several suspects arrested in the waters of Sulawesi Island during the integrated maritime interdiction operations which started on September 14 2021, he added.

Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, with scores from its working-age population trapped in a vicious circle of drugs.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which struck the country on March 2, 2020, drug lords have continued to pose a serious threat to the country with drug-trafficking rampant even amid the health crisis.

Since his first leadership term, President Joko Widodo has been reminding the nation of the serious impact of drug consumption on Indonesia.

The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs come from different communities and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Citing the result of a survey by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Vice President Ma'ruf Amin stated that there were over 3.4 million drug users in Indonesia.

The survey has shown that about 180 out of every 10 thousand Indonesians, aged between 15 and 64, were pushed into drug addiction, Amin noted.