Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Jakarta Metropolitan Police seized 26,568 ecstasy pills and 2,258.42 grams of crystal meth between December 11, 2016 and January 9, 2017.

After they launched a crackdown on drug abuse, the police arrested 12 suspects, including 11 Indonesians and one Nigerian, Chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Inspector General M Iriawan declared here, Wednesday.

An ecstasy dealer, identified as Riki alias Bogel, who was a target of the crackdown, was shot dead when the police was searching the Mediterania Apartment in West Jakarta, Iriawan said.

Earlier, the police arrested Erwin Sinambela at Hotel Golden Crown, Tamansari, West Jakarta, on January 6, 2017, on drug charges.

During the crackdown, the police seized 22,000 ecstasy pills from Riki and 2,000 such pills from Erwin.

Drug Detective Director of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Senior Commissioner Nico Afinta said Riki was a recidivist of the Salemba correctional institution in Central Jakarta in 2012. He had been convicted in a case of swindling.

Drug circulation in Indonesia has reached an alarming level. Some 40 to 50 Indonesian citizens die every day from drug abuse.

To prevent the situation from aggravating, Indonesia has executed dozens of people convicted for drug crimes.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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