JAKARTA, INDONESIA (AP) — Indonesian authorities have arrested 285 people, including 29 women and seven foreigners, in a sweeping two-month crackdown on drug trafficking across 20 provinces. The operation, conducted from April to June, also uncovered money laundering activities linked to two major drug syndicates, officials announced Monday.
The raids, led by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) in collaboration with the Security Affairs Ministry and Customs Office, resulted in the seizure of over 683 kilograms of various narcotics, including crystal meth, marijuana, ecstasy, hashish, THC, and amphetamines.
BNN chief Marthinus Hukom said the campaign also confiscated syndicate-linked assets worth 26 billion rupiah (US$1.5 million).
“This joint effort is vital to protecting our people from the threat of drugs,” Hukom told reporters. “We urge women in particular to be more cautious, both online and offline, in their social interactions.”
During the press conference, 36 suspects—including 21 women—were paraded in orange prison uniforms, handcuffed in front of a large table of confiscated narcotics.
BNN deputy Budi Wibowo said the seized drugs could have reached over 1.3 million potential users, emphasizing the scale of the operation. He also detailed methods used by the traffickers, including land and sea smuggling routes, and postal services.
Among the seven foreign nationals arrested were citizens of the United States, Kazakhstan (2), Malaysia (2), India, and Australia.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Indonesia is a key transit point for international drug syndicates due to its large, youthful population and porous maritime borders.
In a related case, authorities in Riau Islands intercepted two drug shipments in May, seizing 2.7 tons of meth and 1.2 tons of ketamine.
Indonesia’s 2023 drug enforcement figures included 52,000+ cases, with seizures of 6.2 tons of meth and 1.1 tons of marijuana. In 2024, these numbers rose to 56,000+ cases, including 7.5 tons of meth and 3.3 tons of marijuana, valued at 7.5 trillion rupiah (US$454.6 million), said Mochammad Hasan of the Security Affairs Ministry.
To date, 27,357 drug suspects have been arrested in 2024, according to officials.
Earlier this month, three British nationals were formally charged in Bali for attempting to smuggle over 2 pounds of cocaine. They could face the death penalty under Indonesia’s strict narcotics laws.
Currently, 530 individuals—including 96 foreigners—are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes. The last executions were carried out in July 2016.
