Kediri, East Java (Antara) - Kediri city police recently confiscated 8,915 metamphetamine pills and arrested two drug dealers, identified as AS, 19 years old, and YS, age 21, official said. "We observed these two dealers for months before we arrested them. First, we raided AS' rented room in Betet sub district where we found thousands of metamphetamine pills hidden under a bed," spokesman to Kediri police office AKP Surono said here on Tuesday. According to the police investigation, the two dealers usually packed metamphetamine pills in small packages containing five pills each. The package was then sold for Rp5,000. Meanwhile, AS confessed that he is still new to the drug business. He said he wanted more money to support himself after graduating from school, so he sold drugs. Police officials report that the investigation is continuing to determine whether more people are involved. Earlier, officials from the National Anti-Narcotics Body (BNN) Mariani said illegal drug use resulted in losses of Rp57 Trillion to Indonesia this year, which is an increase compared to 2008`s loss of Rp25 Trillion. "The calculation is based on the money spent to buy illegal drugs, medical treatment for drug users, rehabilitation and other activities related to it," said the BNN`s Chief of the Non Therapeutic Community Sub Unit. She added that a national survey conducted by BNN and the University of Indonesia in 2011 showed that the number of drug users in Indonesia also increased from 3.1-3.6 million people (1.9 percent of the total population) in 2008 to 3.8 million in 2011 (2.2 percent of the country`s population). According to the results of a national survey conducted by BNN and University of Indonesia (UI) in 2011, of the 3.8-4.7 million drug users, about one-third used performance-boosting Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS), 1.2 million used Crystalline Methamphetamine, popularly known as Shabu, and 950,000 others used ecstasy. Meanwhile, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) program coordinator Tun Nay Soe warned Indonesia of a possible increase in the use of ATS drugs in the country. "The large licit requirements of ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine for industrial purposes in Indonesia heighten the risk that these substances may be misused for production of ATS," he said. He made it clear that more drug traffickers are interested in producing ATS, since it can be manufactured in small apartment or housing complexes. The estimated market value of ATS in Indonesia is also rising. With the average market street price of around Rp1.3 million (YS$145) per gram, the Crystalline Methamphetamine trade in Indonesia generated an estimated Rp16 trillion (US$1.8 billion) in revenues in 2011. (*)

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Editor : Didik Kusbiantoro


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