Pubdate: Wed, 06 Sep 2006
Source: Jakarta Post (Indonesia)
Copyright: The Jakarta Post
Contact:  http://www.thejakartapost.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/645
Author: Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

COASTLINE VULNERABLE TO SMUGGLING

The recent seizure of 955 kilograms of crystal  methamphetamine,
believed to have been smuggled into  Indonesia by boat, has raised
questions about the  monitoring of the archipelago's offshore and
coastal  areas.

Five national security institutions -- the Navy, the  Water Police and
Port Police, the offshore and coast  guard unit (KPLP) at the
Transportation Ministry,  customs and the immigration office -- are
responsible  for the security of the country's waters and coastline.

"Unfortunately, there is a lack of coordination among  the
institutions ... Each of us works according to our  own priorities,"
KPLP director Soeharto told The  Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

The Navy tends to concentrate on the country's  security, the police
on human trafficking, and, along  with customs, smuggling, the
immigration office on  illegal immigration and the KPLP on sailing
security,  including guarding against piracy.

Last year the Coordinating Ministry for Political,  Legal and Security
Affairs established the Offshore  Security Coordination Body to
facilitate communication  among the five institutions.

"But the body is still not effective ... Currently,  there are areas
that are yet to be monitored. If there  was coordination, the
institutions responsible could  share work and split the areas to be
guarded, assuring  coverage for every spot," Soeharto said.

The National Narcotics Agency says there are 39  Indonesian ports that
are susceptible to being used for  drug trafficking. The country's
huge coastline makes  smuggling easy for international drug syndicates.

The police believe that the crystal meth found in  Tangerang last
Monday was smuggled into Indonesian  waters on a large boat before
being transferred to a  smaller vessel.

So far, the police's investigation has suggested that  the transit
point of the drugs was 80 kilometers  northeast of Tanjung Priok Port
or 100 kilometers from  Teluk Naga, Tangerang.

The police found the drugs last week in a small truck  in Teluk Naga,
on its way to Jakarta. They confiscated  the truck and the drugs, and
three boats owned by a man  named Akuang. Akuang owns coral exporting
company PT  Sang Putra, to which the truck was registered.

Akuang, 42, along with Wang Yi Meng, 21, has been named  a suspect in
the case.

Police are now looking for three Hong Kong citizens,  known only as
Ahua, Mr. Chen and Mr. Lou, who are  allegedly part of the syndicate
responsible for the  drugs and are believed to have fled to Singapore.

The drugs were found after a Teluk Naga resident tipped  police off.
It is believed to be the second biggest  drug haul in Southeast Asian
history, after a February  raid on an ecstasy and crystal meth factory
in Cikande,  also in Tangerang.
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MAP posted-by: Derek