Chinese National Imports Etomidate, a Narcotics Precursor, for Processing in Jakarta

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The head of the Narcotics Investigation Unit of the North Jakarta Metropolitan Police Resort, AKBP Ari Galang Saputro, stated that a Chinese national with the initials HC (51) brought etomidate, a type of narcotics precursor, from his home country. The precursor was then processed at several locations used as home-based industries in North Jakarta. “According to the suspect’s confession, the material he ordered from abroad, namely from China,” said Ari in Jakarta on Wednesday (6/5/2026). The perpetrator claimed to have a turnover of up to Rp 40 million in a single narcotics transaction. “The monthly turnover is still being calculated because there are still some items that have not been distributed,” Ari said. Previously, the North Jakarta Police Resort raided a location used as a home-based etomidate narcotics industry belonging to HC, who was arrested in an apartment in North Jakarta some time ago. “From developments at two different locations, police seized several pieces of evidence including precursor materials and etomidate vape cartridges belonging to the suspect HC,” Ari explained. Officers followed leads to a second location and found several empty cartridges suspected to be used by the suspect to fill with etomidate. “Then, officers developed leads to a third location and found hundreds of etomidate vapes that were already packaged and ready for distribution,” Ari revealed. “We also found items of production equipment used by the suspect to cook and fill the vape cartridges so they could be distributed,” Ari added.