Indonesian authorities have arrested 285 people, including seven foreigners and 29 women, in a large-scale drug trafficking crackdown that spanned 20 provinces and lasted two months. The operation resulted in the seizure of over half a ton of various narcotics and the exposure of money laundering schemes connected to two major drug syndicates.
The head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), Marthinus Hukom, announced that authorities confiscated assets worth over 26 billion rupiah (around $1.5 million) during the operation, conducted between April and June. The suspects were presented to the media wearing orange prison uniforms, their hands cuffed, alongside displays of the seized drugs.
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Hukom noted that many of the women arrested were married and unemployed. He urged women in Indonesia to be cautious in both their real-life and online relationships, stressing the role they may unknowingly play in drug networks.
“I call on Indonesian women to be more vigilant in establishing friendships both in the real world and in cyberspace,” — Marthinus Hukom
Wide Range of Narcotics Seized
BNN Deputy Budi Wibowo reported that authorities confiscated 683,885 grams (0.68 tons) of crystal meth, marijuana, ecstasy, THC, hashish, and amphetamines. He said the bust likely prevented these drugs from reaching more than 1.3 million people.
Drug syndicates, Wibowo added, are using increasingly diverse methods of distribution—including land, sea, and mail services—to reach users.
Among the seven foreign nationals arrested were citizens from the United States, Kazakhstan (2), Malaysia (2), India, and Australia.
Indonesia: A Regional Drug Trafficking Hub
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recognizes Indonesia as a key hub for international drug smuggling, citing its large and youthful population as a target for syndicates.
In a separate operation in Riau Islands Province, authorities seized 2.7 tons of crystal methamphetamine and 1.2 tons of ketamine during maritime raids in May.
Rising Drug Cases and Harsh Penalties
According to Mochammad Hasan from the Ministry of Security Affairs, Indonesia reported more than 52,000 drug cases in 2023, seizing 6.2 tons of meth and 1.1 tons of marijuana, along with other synthetic drugs. In 2024, the numbers surged to over 56,000 cases, with 7.5 tons of meth and 3.3 tons of marijuana confiscated—collectively worth 7.5 trillion rupiah (approx. $454.6 million). By November 2024, 27,357 suspects had been arrested.
Indonesia enforces some of the world’s strictest drug laws. Earlier this month, three British nationals accused of smuggling over two pounds of cocaine into Bali were formally charged. If convicted, they face the death penalty.
Currently, about 530 individuals, including 96 foreigners, remain on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related offenses. The last executions took place in July 2016, involving one Indonesian and three foreign nationals.
