Like something straight out of a movie, the country of Indonesia is planning to build a prison island that will be surrounded by crocodiles. The lucky prisoners to be put on the island are death row convicts with drug-related offenses.
As reported by The Telegraph, the project comes from the brain of Indonesia’s anti-drug chief, Budi Waseso. Waseso posits that, unlike human guards, crocodiles cannot be bribed, thereby preventing especially deceptive prisoners from escaping. But how will the crocodiles be selected?
According to Waseso, “We will place as many crocodiles as we can there. I will search for the most ferocious type of crocodile.” This presents an interesting visual of Waseso, alone with a net, going after particularly scary crocodiles. Though this surely won’t be the reality, the process he described is surprisingly rudimentary for someone with such a controversial plan.
Indonesia has had a history of mercilessness for people who commit drug-related offenses. Drug traffickers can be put to death by firing squad, and there was a worldwide uproar when seven drug convicts were put to death last April. However, Joko Widodo, president of Indonesia, is adamant that such serious anti-narcotics laws are necessary. He continues to insist that Indonesia is in a state of “national emergency” in regards to its use of narcotics.
What brings this whole story together in an ironically sad twist is that the country’s prison system itself has become incredibly corrupt with drugs. This is likely at least in part attributable to the fact that so many drug convicts and traffickers are being placed in prison. However, according to anti-drugs agency spokesman Slamet Pribadi, only traffickers will be placed on the island in order to avoid unwanted interactions between traffickers and drug convicts.
So, will putting drug traffickers on their own little prison island really make anything better? Will guards be there, and will there be boats available? There are so few details that it’s impossible to imagine this scenario will actually work, but you never know. What is imminently clear is that if these drug traffickers do get placed on their own special prison island, then drug traffickers still at large in the area should probably start learning how to speak crocodile.