Bogor Police Uncover Etomidate Circulation Priced at Rp6 Million per Cartridge
The Bogor Resort Police have dismantled the circulation of the narcotic etomidate, which is used in electronic cigarettes (vapes), with a market value reaching Rp6 million per cartridge during a crackdown on drug trafficking from May to July 2026. Bogor Police Chief AKBP Wikha Ardilestanto stated that this discovery is significant as etomidate had never previously been found in cases handled by the Bogor Police. ‘This is quite interesting because we had never uncovered etomidate before. It turns out this substance has already entered the Bogor Regency area,’ said Wikha during a press conference with the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) at the Bogor Police Headquarters in Cibinong on Monday.
He explained that from three cases, officers arrested a suspect with the initials EJ in the Griya Bukit Jaya housing complex, Tlajung Udik Village. Police seized 65 cartridges of etomidate and 70 packets of ‘happy water’ from the suspect. Based on the investigation, the suspect had allegedly been distributing these narcotics for approximately two months in the Bogor Regency area. Wikha noted that etomidate is marketed in cartridge form for electronic cigarettes, with a single cartridge priced between Rp4 million and Rp6 million. ‘One cartridge is used for an electric cigarette and lasts for about 40 puffs,’ he added.
In total, the Bogor Police Narcotics Unit uncovered 74 drug cases and arrested 95 suspects during the three-month period. Besides the etomidate and happy water, other seized evidence included approximately three kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine, two kilogrammes of cannabis, synthetic cannabis, 1,068,900 hard pharmaceutical pills, and 1,193 ecstasy tablets. Bogor Regent Rudy Susmanto commended the police’s performance in uncovering the drug networks, particularly the etomidate, which he described as a new threat to society. He affirmed the local government’s commitment to supporting law enforcement efforts to eradicate drug trafficking and protect the younger generation.