Jakarta – The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) is investigating the possibility that money from drug trafficking has ended up in the hands of regional officials and jail wardens.
"The funds might be flowing to regional officials or jail wardens. We are tracking [the funds]," BNN director of money laundering Brig. Gen. Bahagia Dachi said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.
Twenty-two suspects who allegedly earned illicit funds as part of a syndicate have already been arrested by the BNN. However, the investigation so far only has found no indications that funds were sent out of the country.
The syndicate was revealed when the BNN tracked the suspects' bank account after cloning their phone numbers. "Is there any money flowing abroad? Yes, there is. Right now we are tracing [the flow of the funds]," Bahagia said.
Previously, the BNN seized Rp 60 billion (US$4.3 million) in assets owned by 22 suspected drug dealers from January to July. Most of the suspects are prisoners and are alleged to be involved in a drug trafficking network from their respective prisons.
Assets seized by the BNN include 41 buildings or land plots valued at Rp 34.7 billion, a factory valued at Rp 3 billion, two paddy cutter machines valued at Rp 1 billion, 30 cars valued at Rp 6.8 billion, 21 motorbikes valued at Rp 294 million, 440 teakwood logs valued at Rp 90 million, jewels valued at Rp 617 million and Rp 11 billion in cash. (gis)