Narcotics Agency Arrest Five Int'l Network Suspects

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - National Narcotics Agency (BNN) officers arrested five suspects from an international drug ring last week, a BNN director said.

"Police confiscated 12 kilograms of methamphetamine worth Rp24 billion from the suspects. The drugs were being brought from North Sumatra's Medan city to Jakarta using land transportation," BNN Director for Elimination of Drug Trafficking, Brig. Gen Benny Mamoto, said here on Wednesday.

The five suspects were known by their initials as A, NY, AN, IS and WN. They were arrested after police developed a previous case about an international drug ring that smuggled narcotics from Iran through Malaysia.

The BNN officers have been tracking the drug ring for one-and-a-half months. Officials said they previously had arrested A and NY in Jln Raya Tubagus Angke in the West Jakarta area.

Police found a bag which contained methamphetamine in the possession of the two suspects. An hour earlier, AN entrusted the drug to A and then it was taken by a 'fuso' truck that was transporting toys.

"AN admitted to having delivered the same goods owned by A two times. AN was paid Rp30 million for the service," Benny said.(IGT)