Prisoners Control Drug Trafficking from Prison, Money Turnover Reaches Rp2.1 Trillion

The prisoners who control the distribution of drugs from Tarakan Prison. (Doc. MGN)

HENDRA Sabarudin, a convict in a drug embezzlement case, was revealed to still be controlling drug trafficking from within Tarakan Class II A Penitentiary, North Kalimantan. The money turnover from the distribution of illicit goods that he did reached Rp2.1 trillion.

“From the results of the analysis by PPATK, the money turnover and transactions of the HS network during operations from 2017 to 2024, the figure reached IDR 2.1 trillion,” said the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police, Commissioner General Wahyu Widada, in a press conference at the Bhayangkara Field, South Jakarta, Wednesday, September 18, 2024.

Wahyu said some of the money obtained from drug sales was used to buy assets. The assets from the illicit money are worth around Rp221 billion in total.

Wahyu said Hendra was a drug dealer in the Malaysia-Indonesia network. He was arrested in 2020 and sentenced to death. However, Hendra’s sentence was reduced to 14 years after making legal efforts.

During his sentence, the inmate of Tarakan Class II A Prison apparently still controlled the illegal drug trafficking from behind bars. The illicit goods were distributed to North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali, and East Java.

The National Police received information from the Directorate General of Corrections (Ditjen PAS). Furthermore, they conducted an investigation and inquiry based on a police report dated May 3, 2024.

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Wahyu revealed that HS had been operating to control drugs since 2017 to 2024. With a total shipment of crystal methamphetamine to Indonesia reaching 7 tons. The former Aceh Police Chief said that during his operation, HS worked with the perpetrator with the initials F to distribute and market drugs to the lower levels.

“F is still a fugitive and we are still pursuing him,” said the former Head of the National Police Intelligence and Security Agency (Kabaintelkam).

Meanwhile, in carrying out money laundering, Hendra was assisted by several people who have been named suspects and arrested. They are T, MA, and S as managers of the proceeds of crime. Then, CA, AA, NMY, RO, and AY who played a role in helping to launder money.

The suspects were charged with Article 3, Article 4, Article 5, Article 6, Jo Article 10 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering. With a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp20 billion. (Z-9)