Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA) - National Police's internal affairs division is investigating several policemen in Surabaya, the capital of East Java province, over their alleged involvement in drug crimes.
The investigation is being conducted with East Java police headquarters' internal affairs division, East Java Police spokesperson Sen.Coms.Gatot Repli Handoko said.
"Several cops are being questioned over this drug offense case," Handoko said in a press statement that ANTARA received here on Wednesday.
However, he refrained from revealing the number of police officers who are currently being investigated.
According to information that ANTARA gathered from other news sources, there are at least three cops in Surabaya city who are under the scanner over their alleged involvement in drug crimes.
Chief of the Surabaya police's criminal investigation unit, Adjunct Sen.Coms.Memo Ardian, said the cops may have backed up or protected drug trades in the city.
In February this year, as many as 12 police officers were detained in Bandung, West Java province on charges of drug consumption.
Domestic and transnational drug dealers view Indonesia as a potential market owing to its large population and millions of drug users. Drug trade in Indonesia is valued at almost Rp66 trillion.
Data has indicated that people from all strata of society are falling prey to drugs regardless of their socio-economic and professional backgrounds.
In November last year, a police officer in Deli Serdang district, North Sumatra province was sacked over his involvement in a drug-related offense.
The dismissal of Chief Brigadier F. S. was announced during a roll call, led by deputy chief of the Deli Serdang Police Precinct, Adjunct Sen. Coms. Julianto P. Sirait, on November 23, 2020.
"Through this roll call, it is declared that Chief Brigadier F. S. is no longer a police officer," Sirait stated.
In June, 2020, a policeman was arrested for consuming drugs at a hotel in Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara province.
The policeman, identified as EW, and three other persons were reportedly caught consuming crystal methamphetamine during a drug raid and placed under police custody. During the raid, 19 grams of crystal meth was also seized from them.
In July, 2020, at least 260 policemen in South Sumatra underwent a rehabilitation program to recover from drug addiction. (INE)
