REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has suspected four money changers that have been used as intermediary channels to distribute drugs money totaling some Rp4 trillion.

BNN's director of money laundering Brigadier General Rokhmad Sunanto said here, Monday, of the six money changers, four are illegal and two units have operating license from the central bank (BI). "We found in one money changer, they have Rp3.6 trillion of fund. And the rest have billions of rupiah," he said.

The money changer suspected of being involved in drugs money laundering worth Rp3.6 trillion is located in Jakarta, Rokhmad said, adding that he would give further details on the money changer later. While the other five units are located in Medan, North Sumatra and Batam.

Rokhmad said, his agency has taken legal measures against the six money changers, and based on BNN's preliminary investigation, they had been used to exchange the drug money to local currency and transferred them to overseas bank accounts. "Therefore, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) should take actions as it has also involved banks," he reiterated.

According to Rokhmad, the money changers have been used as a storage. He explained several ways to involve money changers in the crime. The most popular way is to involve illegal money changer that did not submit reports to BI. "The illegal money changer has also been used by authorized money changers as an intermediary to store the money. Drug dealers would also used fake identity and documents," he said.

Rokhmad has asked BI to curb illegal money changers. According to a data of BI, 612 money changers in Indonesia did not have the license and 1,064 have the permit. "Most of the illegal money changers are located at Jakarta, Lhokseumawe, East Kalimantan and Kediri," Executive Director of BNN's department of policy and payment system, Eni V. Panggabean said. 

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