POLICE SEIZE MASSIVE HAUL OF MARIJUANA IN JAKARTA

JAKARTA (IO) -- West Jakarta Police hit the jackpot yesterday, seizing more
than 1.3 tons of marijuana and arresting five members of a dope dealing
syndicate.

Another four members of the syndicate escaped arrest.

The arrests started after 3:00 a.m. when members of the anti-drugs squad
were conducting a regular patrol at Kembangan Raya in West Jakarta. A
passing Toyota Kijang suddenly accelerated when the driver noticed the police.

West Jakarta Police Chief, Superintendent Iwan Nurisman Ismet, said the
patrol set off in pursuit and eventually caught up with the vehicle, then
forced it to stop.

"Naturally my personnel were alerted by the driver's suspicious behavior.
They pursued the car and then searched the driver, Syahrizal, and three
passengers, Zaini, Yanto and Naim. The officers found 77 kilograms of
marijuana packed inside three sacks in the vehicle. The four suspects were
taken in for questioning," Iwan was quoted as saying by Satunet.com.

Zaini confessed they had been taking the marijuana to North Jakarta's
Tanjung Priok Port, from where it would be sold and distributed to
subsidiary dealers.

Afraid he would be tortured by police during the interrogation, Zaini
disclosed the location of a secret warehouse on Jalan Pasar Minggu in South
Jakarta.

West Jakarta Police Detective Chief, Senior Inspector Sahardianto,
accompanied Zaini and a group of police to the warehouse. There, they found
1.3 tons marijuana inside 26 sacks and 7 cardboard boxes. Police also found
141 small baggies ready for sale.

The drugs were confiscated, as well as three weighing machines and a truck.
A security guard, Saini, was arrested at the warehouse.

The owner of the warehouse, Anwar, his tenants Iis and Teten, and the truck
driver, Asri, had all run away before the police arrived.

However, police hope to persuade the suspects to disclose additional
information that will lead to the arrest the wanted persons.