KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. The South Jakarta Police have raided at the Kalibata apartment complex in South Jakarta an apartment that was suspected to be used as a drug factory to produce "gorilla tobacco," a synthetic cannabinoid that has seen a recent rise in popularity among users.

The police reportedly found 10 kilograms of the synthetic drug in the apartment. 

The head of the South Jakarta Police drug unit, Comr. Vivick Tjangkung, said the raid came following a tip-off from locals who suspected that a boarding house in South Jakarta was frequently used as a meeting spot for drug users. 

In a raid at the boarding house on Nov. 14,  three men, identified only as FAS, DSW and MIES, were arrested and tested positive for the drug.

They reportedly acquired the substance from two dealers who remain at large.

"We checked the cell phone of MIES and found that he rented a unit in Kalibata City," Vivick said on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

During the raid, the police found that the apartment had been used as a place to manufacture gorilla tobacco, Vivick said, adding that MIES employed five people to run the business. 

"MIES said that he had rented the apartment for the past three months and that the last time he produced the drug was on Nov. 3. However, we were sure that he had produced the drug for quite some time and that he was involved in the illicit business for one-and-a-half years,” Vivick said.

Editor: Wahyu T.Rahmawati