Two young men, aged 18 and 19, were apprehended by the Police Sector of Jayapura Port Area (KPL Jayapura) on Sunday, July 27th, while attempting to board the KM. Dobonsolo ship. They were suspected of smuggling marijuana hidden in a backpack and shopping bag, with a total weight of approximately half a kilogram. The arrest was confirmed by Chief of KPL Jayapura Police, Inspector First Class H. Abdul Kadir, who identified the suspects by their initials, ES (18) and BY (19). The two were arrested at different times, at 14:30 and 15:20 Eastern Indonesia Time (WIT), within the port area.
During the operation, authorities confiscated a total of 23 marijuana packages weighing around 500 grams. The police explained that the arrest resulted from routine inspections aimed at curbing drug trafficking through maritime routes. Their organization said this effort was part of a broader initiative to prevent the distribution of narcotics using the port as a transit point. The operation underscores the increasing vigilance of the local police in monitoring port activities.
The first arrest involved suspect ES, who posed as a Loading and Unloading Worker (TKBM). A KPL Jayapura Police officer grew suspicious when the individual fled upon being approached. ES was apprehended near the Port Traffic Post, where officers found 10 packages of marijuana inside his orange backpack. Shortly afterward, BY was arrested while entering the ship through the deck class 5 access, carrying 13 packages of marijuana in a red shopping bag.
According to Inspector First Class Abdul Kadir, initial interrogation indicated that both suspects intended to distribute the drugs throughout Papua and surrounding areas. He added that the marijuana likely originated from a border region and was brought into Jayapura via the public port. Their disguises as ordinary passengers and workers suggested a new, more calculated method of drug trafficking. The suspects and evidence have now been handed over to the Narcotics Investigation Unit of Jayapura City Police for further investigation, as authorities work to uncover a broader trafficking network and secure maritime drug routes.
Alexander Jason – Redaksi
