BNN: Russian national running Gianyar drug laboratory used multiple passports

Gianyar, Bali (ANTARA) - The National Narcotics Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BNN RI) has uncovered a foreign national from Russia who managed a drug laboratory in Gianyar Regency, Bali, using multiple passports to conceal their identity while in Indonesia.

Acting Deputy for Eradication at BNN RI Brigadier General Roy Hardi Siahaan, at a press conference in Gianyar, on Saturday, said the female suspect identified as NT is believed to have used several different travel documents.

‘The documents we found in the room at the time of the raid include three passports. The first passport is the one under the name N used in Russia,’ Roy said.

He explained that the other two passports also bear the suspect’s photo but use different identities.

All documents are being evaluated with the immigration authorities to confirm their validity.

‘All of them were issued by the Russian government, with one that was actually used for travelling to Indonesia,’ he said.

Roy stated NT is known to have entered Indonesia in January 2026.

Before NT, there was a male individual identified as S who is believed to be involved in the network and is now being sought to be listed as a person of interest (DPO).

In carrying out her operation, the suspect used various methods to avoid detection by authorities.

In addition to moving from villa to villa, the suspect also used different identities when ordering chemicals for drug production.

This was revealed when some precursor chemicals used were found to be imported from abroad, particularly from China, without using her own name. The two main substances used in the production of mephedrone, namely methylamine and hydrobromic acid, were also ordered from China.

The chemicals were then used as the main components to produce the synthetic drug mephedrone, which is a Schedule I narcotic under Law No. 35 of 2009 and Minister of Health Regulation No. 15 of 2025.

From the raid of a villa in the The Lavana De’Bale Marcapada area, Pering Village, Blahbatuh Sub-district, Gianyar, on Thursday (5/3), officers found a clandestine laboratory used to produce the drug.

The evidence found consisted of mephedrone in solution and crystals weighing a total of around 7.3 kilograms. Forensic laboratory analyses confirmed that all of the material is mephedrone.

Roy said the amount is believed to be the largest discovery of mephedrone-type narcotics in Indonesia to date.

Moreover, for BNN this is the first time it has uncovered a clandestine laboratory producing mephedrone.

Meanwhile, Director of Narcotics Interdiction Syarif Hidayat explained that the case began with observations by Customs officers at Soekarno-Hatta Airport regarding the shipment of chemicals from abroad.

Officers at Cengkareng Primary Customs Service detected two packages of chemicals described as pigments destined for Bali.

But laboratory analyses showed the substances were precursors for the production of mephedrone.

The chemicals were identified as valerophenone and 4-methylpropiophenone, which are key components in the synthesis of the narcotic.

This finding was subsequently followed up with coordination between Customs and BNN to monitor shipments and the recipients’ activities in Bali.

Officials then monitored the destination of the shipments until they finally uncovered the drug laboratory and found various chemicals and laboratory equipment.

Meanwhile, the Head of Ngurah Rai Special Immigration Class I TPI Bugie Kurniawan added that his office also helped with the operation after receiving information of a foreign national being tracked by authorities.

Immigration traced the travel documents and residence permits of the suspect. It happened that the person was applying to extend their stay at the time.

The officers then devised a scenario to get the suspect to come to the immigration office for administrative purposes.

The joint team prepared to identify and continue the surveillance.

From that process, authorities were finally able to track the suspect’s activities and uncover the drug laboratory operating in Gianyar.