Drug Busts in Indonesia

[Artashes]

Lately I have been hearing more stories how foreign tourists often get caught in Indonesia for drug possession. In recent history, an Australian model was arrested and now faces up to 15 years in Indonesian jail.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200510/s1481872.htm

I was just wondering to see how many think that the Indonesian government is fair with their zero-tolerance drug-related rulings and fighting activities. They do not seem to do much about the locals who sell all kinds of drugs on the street, but bravely go after tourists. I heard just as many stories how many foreigners get framed and there is no way of proving that (or protecting yourself properly in court). I certainly do not trust the government folks, not to mention the government of Indonesia. Why not send the arrested back home for fair trial in their countries.. After all, who on Earth wouldn't prefer their home jail over an Indonesian one?

Best,

 

[ldcdc]

I wonder how many such cases get miraculously solved after the local policemen get their pockets filled...

 

[dubs]

Seems pretty selfish to me. It seems that the Government wants to make Indonesia a better country and I think they fail to realize that they have to be hard upon their own citizens as well. They are trying to get the tourists because they dont know nor care about the tourists.

 

[Artashes]

Dan, that's the problem. I am sure families of those busted have tried their ways to bribe, but it simply doesn't work. The government has zero-policy toward drug possession, no matter if you have 2 grams or 2 tons of drugs - most of the time you'll get the same lengthy sentence. Not to mention that most of these tourists used drugs, and not distributed them, which makes it even more ridiculous to jail drug users.

 

[Blue]

I fully support Indonesia, and more recently Singapore in their policies of prosecuting foreigners according to the local laws.

They do not seem to do much about the locals who sell all kinds of drugs on the street, but bravely go after tourists.

I would need to see some evidence of this before I would believe it Art.
The reality of the issue is that the Western press doesn't give a damn how many Indonesians are executed for drug trafficking.
It only makes the news when it's a Western tourist.

Why not send the arrested back home for fair trial in their countries.. Why not send the arrested back home for fair trial in their countries..

Every country has the right to prosecute people who break the law in their country.
In some countries child pornography laws are very lax. If someone from one of these countries was distributing child pornography in Canada would you want the to be sent back home to get a slap on the wrist or would you want them to be punished according to our standards?

My personal opinion on this, and this is just my opinion, if someone is stupid enough to attempt to traffic drugs in a country that has very well know laws that state trafficking is a death penalty offense, then we are better off without them in the gene pool.

 

[Artashes]

My personal opinion on this, and this is just my opinion, if someone is stupid enough to attempt to traffic drugs in a country that has very well know laws that state trafficking is a death penalty offense, then we are better off without them in the gene pool.

I was talking more about drug users, not the distributors. I find it ridiculous to put in jail those who need help instead. I think that those who launder drug money should be penalized, not those who are addicted.

As for the problem on the government not catching the locals, I think I saw the report on CNN a few days ago, which was initially about the Australia model who got caught with 2 Ecstasy pills for personal usage, but they also pointed out that anyone can get any kind of drug on the street, anytime and anywhere. I didn't verify personally, but I assumed the reporter who lives there sees what's going on.

 

[Blue]

I have to disagree again Art.
First of all, at some point in time every person on their own free will decides to take drugs.
There is more than enough information out there regarding the perils of drug use and the addictive nature of drugs. When that person takes drugs and becomes addicted they become a part of the problem.
If there were no addicts there would be no dealers. So once again I have no sympathy.

I especially have no sympathy for a model who is dumb enough to take a couple of pills into the country for recreational use. The laws are clear in these countries.

If this model couldn't go a few days while she was in the country without doing drugs then I have no sympathy at all.

 

[Artashes]

There is more than enough information out there regarding the perils of drug use and the addictive nature of drugs. When that person takes drugs and becomes addicted they become a part of the problem.

It would hard to estimate if public awareness of dangers resulting from drug abuse is actually satisfying anywhere in the world. Third world countries, poorly educated regions, I assume, know much less about such dangers. Even well educated countries have problems if awareness campaigns are not continuous. There is also a problem of reach. How many is the information reaching, how well and how consistently? What about social influences and peer pressuer that many youngsters fall to? It is pretty harsh to stick a "problem" tag to those who are addicted. Yes, they are part of the problem, only not THAT problem. It is a consequence the governments and societies have to be responsible for, but they need not close their eyes or turn their backs on them - they need to help them fight the addiction.

In my view, you can not fight the problem by putting addicts away. You have to act against those bankers and institutions who launder drug money. Someone once said that if we were to execute one drug money laundering banker every week during the Monday night football game, you will see the drug traffic and usage decline pretty fast. The truth is - drug addicts and dealers are not afraid to die. Its those who make money of them are.

Best,