Pekanbaru – Police have arrested four soldiers, three police officers and a civilian who are thought to be part of a drug syndicate operating out of Riau.

The eight were arrested after they assaulted Pekanbaru Police officer First Brig. Joko Fabianto on Monday because of his supposed knowledge of their illicit activities.

"The perpetrators are also suspects in the kidnapping and assault of First Brig. Joko Fabianto that occurred some time ago," Pekanbaru Police chief Sr. Comr. Adang Ginanjar said on Friday, according to Antara news agency.

Joko is currently undergoing intensive treatment at Bhayangkara Hospital in Pekanbaru, under heavy guard, after he managed to escape the assailants on Monday.

Adang explained that the arrests were made in separate places, with support from the Pekanbaru Military Police. Law enforcement also arrested a civilian, another alleged member of the drug ring.

Adang said the three police officers and the civilian are currently being detained at the Pekanbaru Police compound for questioning, while the four soldiers are being held at the Pekanbaru Military Police headquarters.

News of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) soldiers' involvement the in illicit drug business made several headlines earlier this year.

Recently, a member of the Bali Military Command, Head Sgt. Suryono, was sentenced to four years in jail for possession of 64 ecstasy pills and 5.2 grams of crystal methamphetamine, and another soldier, identified only as S., a sergeant major with the TNI's intelligence unit, was arrested in May when Indonesian police made their 'biggest ecstasy bust in 10 years,' seizing 1.4 million ecstasy pills from a shipping container at North Jakarta's Tanjung Priuk Port.