Implementation of Follow-The-Money and Follow-The-Asset Approaches to Optimize Drug Crime Handling

Abstract

one of the efforts in eradicating drug crimes is enacting high penalties to drug dealers, however, this is remained unoptimal since they can still control the drug network from inside the prison. Therefore, extraordinary measures are required to overcome drug crime. This study aims to analyze the application and optimization of the follow-the-money and follow-the-asset approaches in handling narcotics crimes. Specifically, this study applies a normative juridical approach. This research discovered that the implementation of the follow-the-money and follow-the-asset approaches have been realized only by some of people, while are remained focused on solving drug crimes itself. In fact, the application of both approaches can be utilized as a reference for law enforcement officers as one of the strategies in optimizing the eradication of drug. Additionally, to punishing drug traffickers, they can also impoverish so the perpetrators could not run the business anymore. At the investigation level, investigators can trace the flow of funds from the drug business, the forms of assets resulting from criminal actsthe storage location and on whose behalf, discover criminal accomplice who committing money laundering and then present it in the form of a case file. At the prosecution level, public prosecutors in pre prosecution stage can give instructions to investigators to develop a money laundering case from a drug crime, then in the prosecution stage, they can maximally prove it in court. Finally at the trial stage, the panel of judges can also explore further the facts of the trial related to the predicate crime (drug) and the crime of money laundering.