Jakarta. National Anti-Narcotics Agency, or BNN, said some of the suspected rioters arrested by police in Jakarta on Tuesday and Wednesday might have been acting under the influence of drugs.

"They needed encouragement to do their actions. They would not have the courage if they did not take drugs. They used drugs to increase their courage," BNN public relations and protocol head Sulistyo Pudjo said in Jakarta on Friday.

"We will work with the police to find the network that supplied drugs to these riot suspects," Pudjo said.

BNN said their provincial and district offices will work closely with the police to investigate the network in regional areas.

Police so far have arrested 257 suspected rioters in three areas: 72 near the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) headquarters, 156 in Petamburan and 29 in Gambir.

At least four of them have tested positive for amphetamine, methamphetamine and benzodiazepines.

"We advise the public to watch out for signs of drug trafficking in their areas. Anyone who intentionally or unintentionally sells or distributes drugs will be punished according to the law," Pudjo said.

Around 6,000 protesters gathered in front of the Bawaslu offices on the evening of May 22. The protest against the result of last month's presidential election spread since Tuesday night to three locations in Central and West Jakarta.

Two of the suspected rioters arrested by the police are thought to be linked to an Islamic State-affiliated group, the Islamic Reform Movement (Garis).

If convicted, the rioters face a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment.

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