Drug Fugitive Basri Lewaimang Arrested in Malaysia, Barelang Police HQ Security Remains Normal
The arrest of Basri Lewaimang, a fugitive in an alleged narcotics distribution case who was placed on the wanted list (DPO) by the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri), in Malaysia has not altered security arrangements at the Barelang Police headquarters.
Monitoring by Media Indonesia at the Barelang Police headquarters on Thursday (20/8) showed that activities and security were proceeding as on any ordinary day. No additional personnel or special checks were visible at the entrance to the police station.
Security around the headquarters area also appeared normal. No extra security measures were observed following Basri’s arrest in Malaysia.
A member of the Barelang Police who declined to be named said that the handling of Basri’s case falls under the authority of the National Police Headquarters.
“The case is being handled by the National Police Headquarters; it has nothing to do with the district police. Moreover, even if Basri had subordinates, it is unlikely they would come to the district police station, as he is not here,” said the Barelang Police member who requested anonymity on Thursday (20/8).
Basri Lewaimang was designated as a DPO by Bareskrim Polri in a case of alleged narcotics distribution at the Planet 1, 2, and 3 nightlife entertainment venues in Batam, Riau Islands.
The Director of Drug Crimes at Bareskrim Polri, Brigadier General Eko Hadi Santoso, said Basri is suspected of acting as the manager of the entertainment venues as well as a drug dealer who supplied various types of narcotics for distribution within those nightlife establishments.
“Basri’s role was as the manager of Planet 1 and 2 entertainment venues and simultaneously as a drug dealer who provided various types of drugs distributed at Planet 1, 2, and 3,” he said.
Based on the investigation results, police suspect that the circulation of ecstasy at the Planet entertainment venues reached at least 40,000 pills per month. That figure could potentially increase when visitor numbers reach maximum capacity.
Basri is listed in DPO Number DPO/134/VIII/2026/Dittipidnarkoba. The man, born in Alor on 1 October 1975, is known to work as a self-employed businessman.
In the case, he is suspected of involvement in a conspiracy to offer, sell, buy, receive, act as an intermediary in the sale and purchase, exchange or hand over Class I narcotics weighing more than 5 grams.
He is also suspected of involvement in the possession, storage, control or supply of non-plant-based Class I narcotics weighing more than 5 grams.
The case is recorded in Police Report Number LP/A/172/VIII/2026/SPKT.Dittipidnarkoba/Bareskrim Polri dated 10 August 2026.
In addition to pursuing Basri, Bareskrim Polri investigators are also tracing assets suspected to be linked to money laundering offences with narcotics as the predicate crime.
A number of luxury vehicles suspected to belong to Basri have been marked with police tape. The vehicles include a Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Jeep Rubicon, Hummer, Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Fortuner and Toyota Land Cruiser.
Police have also placed police tape on two vessels as well as a number of immovable assets suspected to be connected to Basri.
Those assets include several houses in residential areas in Batam, shophouses in Botania II, four apartment units at Pollux Habibie Meisterstadt, a restaurant in the Punggur area and several other properties.