173,000 Dangerous Drug Tablets Seized in Bali, Disguised as Livestock Vitamin B Complex

The Denpasar-based Balai Besar Pengawas Obat dan Makanan (BPOM) has dismantled the circulation of dangerous medicines in Bali. Acting Head of BBPOM Denpasar, Made Ery Bahari, said perpetrators are increasingly using sophisticated methods to mislead authorities. One modus operandi involved disguising Triheksifenidil as Livestock Vitamin B Complex.

In the operation, officers seized at least 173,000 illegal tablets with an economic value of Rp200 million.

According to BBPOM data, in the past three years, dangerous medicines such as Triheksifenidil, Tramadol, and Ketamine have been most commonly detected in Denpasar and Badung. Notably, there has been a shift in distribution channels. Previously, transactions were predominantly through marketplace platforms; now perpetrators have turned to social media and courier services to ship the illegal medicines. To date, 15 perpetrators have been prosecuted in the last three years.

Deputy for Enforcement at BPOM, Irjen Pol. Tubagus Ade Hidayat, emphasised that the misuse of these medicines is not just an administrative violation but a serious threat to the mental health of the younger generation. “These medicines can be used medically for those in need, but they must be strictly regulated. If not, they can cause health and mental health problems.”

Perpetrators involved in this network were charged under Articles 435 and 436 of the Health Law. In addition to enforcement, the government is strengthening preventive measures by forging close cooperation with courier companies, the Police, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), and PPNS to break the distribution chain at logistics entry points.

BPOM notes 15 cases with distribution patterns dominated by delivery via courier services for illegal medicines in Bali since 2023.