JAKARTA, Indonesia – The Jakarta Police arrested 16 people, including four foreigners, with alleged connections to an international drug syndicate and seized illegal drugs worth Rp. 12 billion ($1.03m), police said Monday (November 18th), local media reported.

Jakarta Police deputy chief Sudjarno said police confiscated 2,008 methamphetamine pills, 4.5kg of methamphetamine powder and 1.1kg of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu, over the course of a two-month investigation, according to The Jakarta Post.

The arrested include three Malaysians and one Chinese national. Sudjarno said police still seek two Malaysians and another suspect from China, with co-operation for the two from Malaysian police and help seeking the latter from Interpol.

Sudjarno said the pills (known as yaba in Thailand) and red shabu-shabu are new to Indonesia and the arrests and seizure may have saved the lives of as many as 70,000 drug users.

The arrested, who used sea routes via Malaysia to smuggle the drugs, could face the death sentence and fines up to Rp. 10 billion ($865,000). The Jakarta Globe reported Sudjarno spoke above his rank when he advocated the death penalty if they are found guilty.