Jakarta police seize one tonne of ganja from lorry

The police crippled a major drug distribution syndicate in the capital following seizure of a tonne of ganja from a lorry at the Jakarta Outer Ring Road toll plaza in East Jakarta last night.

The Metro Jaya Police Drug Prevention division seized the compacted drug in Bambu Apus Cipayung, East Jakarta about 8pm.

The lorry driver and attendant, aged 39 and 44, were detained to faciligtate investigations, online media quoted Metro Jaya Police Community Relations head Awi Setiyono as telling reporters here Monday.

He said the ganja was believed to have been brought in from Aceh for distribution within Jakarta.

"The lorry driver claimed he was merely following his Aceh-based client's instructions to ferry the cargo to Jakarta, and was paid for his service," he added.

The Aceh Province in Sumatra is known as a centre for illegal cultivation of ganja and the police have destroyed 189 hectares of ganja plantation in three Aceh districts, namely Aceh Besar, Gayo Lues and Nagan Raya recently.

Ganja is planted in the mountainous jungle and steep hillsides in the interior and is difficult to be accessed by the authorities. -- Bernama