This week Indonesia’s police arrested a foreign national in Jakarta in connection to the discovery of 2.2 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (meth) in a boarding house in Srengseng (West Jakarta). Jakarta Police spokesman Budi Widjanarko said that police action was taken based on intelligence about a syndicate that smuggles crystal meth into Indonesia from Nigeria. Reportedly, this syndicate is led by a Jakarta prison inmate. Recent history shows that Indonesian authorities are very strict on drug-related crimes.

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Tony Abbott, Prime Minister of Australia, said that a diplomatic fallout may occur between Australia and Indonesia if the latter sticks to its plan to execute two Australian citizens who are on death row in Indonesia on drug charges. On several occasions the Australian government requested for clemency but these requests were rejected by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Widodo takes a tough stance on drug-related crimes as the spread of forbidden substances jeopardizes people’s health in Indonesia.

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