Sixteen alleged members of an international drug syndicate arrested in the Jakarta area last month could face the death penalty if convicted, according to Jakarta's deputy police chief.

The suspects were to be charged under Indonesia's 2009 Narcotics Law, whose potential penalties include capital punishment or fines of up to Rp. 10 billion ($845,000), Brigadier General Sudjarno told a news conference November 16th.

"If found guilty, they must be punished severely so they will not re-do it," he said.

The sixteen, including three Malaysians and a Chinese national, were arrested in police raids around Jakarta. They are suspected of producing and distributing illegal drugs in the country, and smuggling in the drugs via sea routes from Malaysia.

The police also hauled in Rp.12 billion ($1m) worth of drugs, which included 2,008 red methamphetamine pills – known locally as "shabu-shabu" – 1.1 kg of crystal methamphetamine and 4.5 kg of methamphetamine powder.

"This is still an ongoing investigation. We are looking for three suspects who are still at large," Jakarta Police Narcotics Directorate Chief Nugroho Aji Wijayanto told Khabar Southeast Asia.

The three at large are a Chinese citizen and two Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysians, Nugroho said, adding that the Indonesian police were co-ordinating with their Malaysian counterparts in the case.

Husni Hasan, a Malaysian expatriate living in Jakarta, welcomed the joint police effort.

"Indonesia and Malaysia are struggling with efforts to combat drugs. I think both regions face similar challenges with their geography," Husni said. "We hope their co-operation will bring some success."

Drug addiction is a growing problem in Indonesia. There are four million Indonesian addicts and there has been a reported spike in crystal meth use in Indonesia.

"We want a healthy generation in our country. Imagine how many people will consume drugs. However, the rule of law must also be enforced among officers. As you may know, many drug dealers are also running their business while serving time in prisons," Husni said.

Drug use un-Islamic

For his part, Muhammad Asbhari, a religious leader in Kemayoran, Jakarta, applauded the government's effort to combat drug production, smuggling and consumption.

"These various arrests show that Indonesia is their target market. Indonesia is one of the most populous countries. However, we are a Muslim majority who disagree with the use of drugs in our daily lives," Muhammad told Khabar.

"Illegal drugs will only cause damage to our country," he added.

In his view, religion and education could play roles in helping the country tackle the problem.

"Many religious leaders, academicians, and even policy makers believe that religious approaches are important to help our citizens stay away from drugs. These may not be the only approaches we have to use. We need to keep thinking," he said.