The Indonesian National Narcotics Board (BNN RI) and Customs held a\npress conference on Friday (31\/07) at a crime scene in a boarding house\nin the Batu Ampar area, Batam City. The conference was held to present\nthe results of a joint operation that successfully dismantled a\nnarcotics smuggling and distribution network in Batam.<\/p>\n
Through a series of simultaneous operations conducted at four\ndifferent locations in Batam, the joint team from BNN RI and the Customs\nDirectorate of Narcotics Interdiction managed to detain six suspects\nalong with various types of narcotics evidence.<\/p>\n
The discovery began with the vigilance of Customs officers at\nSoekarno-Hatta Airport, who suspected a package arriving from Malaysia.\nThe package was declared as supplements destined for Batam. Subsequent\nin-depth testing by the Customs and Excise Laboratory (BLBC) Jakarta\nrevealed the contents contained MDMA, Ketamine, and other dangerous\nchemicals. Following this finding, Customs coordinated with BNN RI to\ntrace the recipient in Batam.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, 28 July 2026, the joint team traced an individual,\nidentified as BAP, who was responsible for collecting the package. From\nBAP\u2019s testimony, the team expanded their investigation to a boarding\nhouse in Batu Ampar, where they found several individuals testing\npositive for narcotics, psychotropics, and precursors (NPP).<\/p>\n
Further investigation revealed that BAP collected the package under\nthe orders of an individual with the initials ED. The team tracked and\nsecured ED at a hotel in the Lubuk Baja area, along with three others\nidentified as TFS, NI, and TT. From this location, officers found\nevidence including four cartridges suspected of containing Etomidate,\nthree ecstasy pills, approximately 2.4 grams of suspected\nmethamphetamine, and one packet of suspected Ketamine.<\/p>\n
Further inspections of a vehicle belonging to TFS revealed five small\nclips of methamphetamine. The team then proceeded to the residence of\nTFS\u2019s parents in the Teluk Tering area, where additional evidence\nincluding pods and \u2018bong\u2019 tubes were found. On Wednesday (29\/07), a\nsearch was conducted at an apartment in Teluk Tering occupied by TFS and\nNI, yielding 71 vape units suspected of containing Etomidate and two\nsachets labelled \u2018Happy Water\u2019 suspected of containing\nmethamphetamine.<\/p>\n
On Friday, 30 July 2026, a search of a boarding room in Batu Ampar\noccupied by RR and FDL uncovered 91 vape units suspected of containing\nEtomidate. As a final sweep, Customs Batam\u2019s K9 unit conducted a\nre-inspection of the Batu Ampar boarding house area.<\/p>\n
In a separate but closely timed enforcement action, Customs Batam\nofficials intercepted an attempt to smuggle 48 vape cartridges\ncontaining Etomidate at the Batam Centre International Ferry Terminal.\nThe items were carried by a Malaysian national, identified as PS,\narriving from Stulang Laut. This case is still under further\ninvestigation by Batam Customs.<\/p>\n
From this operation, the joint team successfully secured various\ntypes of narcotics evidence. It is estimated that approximately 6,770\nlives were saved from the threat of narcotics abuse, while the\nenforcement also saved the state an estimated Rp10.8 billion in\npotential healthcare rehabilitation costs.<\/p>\n
The perpetrators are suspected of violating Articles 114 (2) juncto\nArticle 132 (1) and\/or Article 112 (2) juncto Article 132 (1) of Law\nNumber 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics, which carries a minimum prison\nsentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, or even the death penalty,\nand fines ranging from Rp1 billion to Rp10 billion. All suspects and\nevidence have been secured for further investigation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis operation emphasises that cross-agency synergy is not merely\nabout law enforcement, but a tangible protection for thousands of\ncommunity members. Batam Customs has been monitoring the smuggling trend\nof Etomidate in vapes since the beginning of the year, and the exposure\nof this network is a concrete follow-up to the surveillance we conduct\ndaily at Batam\u2019s border gates,\u201d said Agung Widodo, Head of the Batam\nCustoms Office.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/batam-customs-and-bnn-dismantle-narcotics-network-in-batam-1785495210", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }