Inp.polri.go.id – Batam. Riau Islands Police have thwarted methamphetamine smuggling with the total weight of 46,477.64 during their drug eradication operation in September 2023. The drugs were confiscated from the five cases uncovered by the police and Batam Customs. “From the 46 kg methamphetamine we have secured, we have arrested 11 suspects,” says Riau Islands Police Chief, Inspector General Tabana Bangun, quoted from antaranews on Tuesday (10/3/2023). He explains that from their first case uncovered on September 11th, his parties have arrested AR, RH, YS, AA, AS, and HA along with the evidence of 2,972 grams of methamphetamine. On this case, police stated that a suspect with the initials of E is still on the run. “Then on our disclosure for the second case on September 11th, we have arrested a suspect with the initials of IS and another suspect on the run. The evidence that we have secured are 993.50 grams of methamphetamine,” revealed Bangun. On their third case that the police disclosed on September 12th, his parties have arrested a suspect with the initials of BS with three others listed on the wanted list. On September 25th, police continue their effort on eradicating drugs with the arrest of FZ and GY with a suspect listed on the wanted list with the initials of ABG. “In our disclosure on this fourth case, we cooperate with Batam Custom and able to confiscate 39,579.6 grams of methamphetamine packaged in Chinese tea and hid in two bags. It was revealed that the methamphetamine planned to be smuggled to Depok, West Java,” he explains. While on their fifth case that the police uncovered on September 25th, the police have arrested a suspect with the initials of SR and an evidence of 1,000 grams of methamphetamine. Riau Police estimates that from the five drug cases that they disclosed, they are able to prevent 467,770 people from the dangers of drugs with the assumption of a gram of methamphetamine is used by ten people. “We implore the community to jointly secure our region, especially our young generations, from the dangers of illicit drugs,” urged the police chief. (ad/bg/pr/nm)