Dealers in Uniform

Soldiers in Jakarta raided the Kostrad (Army Strategic Reserves Command) housing compound in Tanah Kusir two weeks ago, moving in on men of their own. "We received intelligence that a drug ring was operating there," said Kostrad Information chief Lt. Col. Heru on Thursday last week. The afternoon raid involved Kostrad Intel Assault Battalion and the Army Military Police. The At-Taqwa Mosque, located about 300 meters away from the five targeted houses, served as the mission command center.

Those targeted in the raid included Second Sgt. Zakaria, Chief Sgt. Karyawan, Sgt. Maj. Ersing and Sgt. Maj. Suryadi, as well as a civilian named Yayat. Karyawan, Ersing, Suryadi and Yayat are next-door neighbors, while Zakaria lives across the street.At 2:00pm sharp, the command moved in. The troops met no resistance. "I was at home and didn't hear a thing," said Khatmi, Yayat's closest neighbor. Soon afterward, Zakaria and the others were taken to Kostrad adjunct general headquarters. According to Heru, the soldiers were to be handed over to military police and the lone civilian to either the police or the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).