REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has estimated that about 50 percent illegal drugs in Indonesia are circulated through correctional institutes.

"I think about 50 percent of narcotics circulation take place there," the President said while opening a limited meeting on elimination of narcotics and a rehabilitation program for drug victims at the Presidential Office here Wednesday.

Therefore, Jokowi, who is a former governor of Jakarta, asked officials in charge to tighten control on penitentiaries across the country.

Extra-tight supervision should be carried out on narcotics convict's correctional institutes in various places.

"Particularly, prisons which host narcotics convicts, supervision should really be carried out tightly. Probably under a military backup it should be checked through impromptu inspections once or twice a month by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN)," the President said.

"Rehabilitation of the addicts and narcotics victims should run effectively," noted the Head of State.

The matter is very important to really eliminate the circulation of illegal drugs, Jokowi said.

In the meantime, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), has said earlier it will use the money laundering law to charge drug trafficking suspects.

"All drug trafficking suspects would be charged with money laundering," BNN Chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso said here Wednesday.

The use of the money laundering law against drug traffickers is in a bid to stamp out drug trafficking from the country, Budi said.

All drug traffickers are members of international syndicates, and they still could control the illegal drug trade even from their prison cells as they have a lot of money, he said.

Therefore, the money laundering law is needed to charge drug suspects, he added.

"All their assets should be confiscated so that they have no power to control trade outside their prison cells," he said.

Meanwhile, a woman suspect, identified, as SL, told her investigators that she received an order from a drug convict, a Nigerian, who is serving a jail term in a Jakarta prison to carry out the illicit trade.

SL and her two friends were arrested in Pinang, Kota Tangerang in possession of 13.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.

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