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Indonesia intensifies fight against drug trafficking

Indonesia has stepped up monitoring travellers, especially those from China and Malaysia, in an effort to fight the illegal transport and trade of drugs.
Indonesia has stepped up monitoring travellers, especially those fromChina and Malaysia, in an effort to fight the illegal transport andtrade of drugs.

The move aims to prevent the smuggling of drugsinto Jakarta in particular and Indonesia in general, said Okto Irianto,head of the customs and special consumption office at Soekarno-Hattainternational airport.

In its recent report, the UN Office onDrugs and Crime (UNODC) warned Indonesia against a risk of an expandeddrug market in the country, with Asia already considered the world’slargest source of drugs, he added.

Malaysia is often the source of drugs entering into Indonesia, as the two countries share a land border in Kalimantan.

Accordingto statistics from the airport’s office, 52 drug trafficking cases havebeen detected so far this year, with officials seizing 41.6 kg ofmethamphetamine worth 4.6 million USD. The airport’s officers arrested31 Indonesians and 21 others from Malaysia, China, Taiwan (China), HongKong (China), Thailand, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda.-VNA
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