Chinese Chemists Arrested in Raid on Indonesia’s Largest Meth Lab
A joint team from the Indonesian National Police, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Customs dismantled what authorities described as Indonesia’s largest clandestine narcotics laboratory, located in Mutiara Timur district, Pidie regency, Aceh.
The clandestine lab was housed in a two-unit shophouse. Officers arrested two Chinese nationals, identified by the initials LJ, 45, and XM, 42, who had allegedly been brought in specifically as chemists and lead methamphetamine producers.
National Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto said the operation had thwarted the distribution of liquid methamphetamine and crystal methamphetamine by an international network, with the total quantity of evidence reaching 1.2 tonnes.
“Two Chinese nationals, the lead cooks or chemists, identified as LJ, 45, and XM, 42, were also arrested in the raid,” Suyudi said at a press conference in Pidie on Friday (23 October).
The two Chinese chemists had reportedly been surveying locations since the middle of the year. They initially travelled from Yunnan, China, and transited in Malaysia before arriving in Banda Aceh in June 2026.
Investigators found that LJ and XM spent 10 days in Aceh mapping the area before returning to Malaysia.
Their movements were detected again on 15 October 2026, when they flew from Kunming, China, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to meet a suspect identified as Indonesian national B.
The clandestine laboratory’s production activity was detected on 18 October, when officers intercepted LJ’s communications.
LJ had contacted his superiors in China, identified as LX and NX, to report that methamphetamine production had begun. They instructed him to speed up production and send the drugs as soon as possible.
“LJ’s communications were detected when he contacted his superiors in China, identified as LX and NX, to say that methamphetamine production had started. They instructed him to speed up production and packaging so the goods could be sent immediately,” Suyudi said.
Acting on the information, officers launched simultaneous raids on a shophouse in Mutiara Timur district, Pidie, and several other locations in Bireuen, North Aceh and Lhokseumawe.
In Pidie, officers arrested five suspects: LJ, F, MY, AK and AY. A search of the shophouse resulted in the seizure of 20 drums of liquid methamphetamine and 500 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.
“The process they used was highly systematic and structured, and shows that this network was controlled by experienced chemists,” he said.