Indonesia\u2019s largest clandestine drug laboratory has been uncovered in\nPidie, Aceh, by a joint team from the National Police\u2019s Criminal\nInvestigation Agency, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the\nDirectorate General of Customs and Excise.<\/p>\n
Initial investigations indicate that the laboratory was strongly\nsuspected of being linked to an international cross-border drug network\ninvolving syndicates from China, Malaysia and Indonesia. Two shophouses\nhad been converted into a methamphetamine factory.<\/p>\n
National Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto outlined the\ninvestigation into the laboratory, which was capable of producing 1.2\ntonnes of drugs. The network had been monitored for months and was first\ndetected in February 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn February 2026, a narcotics network originating in China was\ndetected. It was transporting hundreds of kilograms of liquid\nmethamphetamine from northern Myanmar through Laos and Thailand before\nreaching its final destination, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on 18 May 2026,\u201d\nGeneral Suyudi said at a press conference in Pidie, Aceh, on Friday (23\nOctober 2026).<\/p>\n
Investigators identified two alleged drug chemists as Chinese\nnationals LJ, 45, and XM, 42. They reportedly transited through Malaysia\nand entered Banda Aceh on 24 May 2026, stayed at a hotel for 10 days,\nthen returned to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
A second shipment of methamphetamine was sent in July 2026, following\nthe same route as the first.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of July 2026, the two foreign nationals began the second\nshipment, comprising almost one tonne of liquid methamphetamine, along\nthe same route as the first. The liquid was disguised in green cans\nbearing the Itanpro brand to evade officers,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The two men later travelled from China to Malaysia. On arrival, their\naccommodation arrangements were assisted by an Indonesian national\nidentified as MN.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn 15 October 2026, suspects LJ and XM travelled from Kunming,\nChina, and arrived in Kuala Lumpur at 14.40 local time. They met suspect\nB, an Indonesian national. While in Malaysia, LJ and XM were assisted by\nsuspect MN with accommodation and lodging,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The investigation began on 16 October, when suspect B flew from Kuala\nLumpur to Banda Aceh before travelling to Samalanga, Bireuen regency,\nAceh.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn Saturday, 17 October 2026, LJ, XM and MN landed in Banda Aceh and\nwere picked up by suspect RI in a black Toyota Innova Reborn. The Innova\nstopped at a restaurant on the way, then arrived at a shophouse in Jenep\nat 22.26 WIB. At 03.00 WIB, a Fortuner arrived at the same location,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He added that on 18 October a Fortuner travelled from Medan. Suspect\nLJ contacted his superior in China, identified as LX, to say that\nmethamphetamine production had begun.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn 19 October at 12.51, the Fortuner group moved suitcases and boxes\ninto a white Honda Jazz, which was receiving the logistics,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The joint team sealed off the site before making arrests. The\noperation was coordinated on 21 October 2026, and officers carried it\nout the following day.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt 12.19 WIB, the joint team received information that suspects LJ\nand XM were in a shophouse on Jalan Dayah Tanoh, Mutiara Timur district,\nPidie regency. At 14.40 WIB, the team raided the shophouse, as well as\nfour other locations in Bireuen, North Aceh and Lhokseumawe,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Suspects LJ and F, along with MY, AK and AY, were arrested inside the\nshophouse that had been converted into a drug laboratory. Officers\nseized a range of evidence, including 20 drums of liquid methamphetamine\nand 500kg of crystal methamphetamine. The total quantity of drugs seized\nreached 1.2 tonnes.<\/p>\n
General Suyudi said the alleged principal controller of the drugs was\nbeing sought. Authorities will coordinate with China to locate the\nsuspected ringleader.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe team is still pursuing wanted individuals, including field\ncoordinators identified as Z, ES, J, BR and SS, and is coordinating with\nNC City in China to arrest the main controller, LS,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Suyudi said investigators would also examine six mobile phones seized\nin the raid and apply money-laundering charges in the case.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will conduct digital forensics on the six mobile phones found at\nthe scene and apply money-laundering provisions to impoverish this\nnetwork,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
General Suyudi said the joint operation had prevented the drugs from\nreaching the market. He estimated that it had protected six million\nIndonesians from the effects of drug distribution.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important to understand the enormous harm we have prevented\nthrough this operation. If 1.2 tonnes, or 1,200,000 grams, of\nmethamphetamine were sold at an average market price of Rp1.8 million\nper gram, the total economic value we have prevented from circulating\nwould be almost Rp2.16 trillion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Suyudi said that, assuming each gram of methamphetamine could be\nconsumed by five people, dismantling the clandestine laboratory had\nsaved millions of young people.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we assume that one gram of methamphetamine is consumed by five\npeople, then we have saved six million Indonesians from the effects of\nnarcotics,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said large-scale drug production could also increase demand for\nrehabilitation. In his estimate, uncovering the laboratory could reduce\nstate expenditure by Rp120 trillion, assuming rehabilitation costs of\nRp20 million per person.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this number is calculated against the cost of rehabilitation, the\nstate would have to spend Rp120 trillion, based on Rp20 million per\nperson for a six-month rehabilitation period,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He praised the cooperation between the National Police, BNN and\nCustoms and Excise, and said the threat posed by narcotics was real.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese extraordinary figures show that the threat from narcotics is\nvery real. Collaboration across all sections of society is our strongest\nline of defence,\u201d he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-uncovers-its-largest-drug-laboratory-1792799475", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }