Drug-Related Nightlife Venues Could Be an Iceberg Phenomenon

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Jakarta DPRD member from the PDI Perjuangan faction, Dwi Rio Sambodo, has said the case of alleged drug distribution at nightlife venues in Jakarta could become an iceberg phenomenon. The statement came after the revocation of operating licences for four nightlife venues, namely B Fashion Hotel and The Seven in West Jakarta, following raids related to suspected narcotics. “This could indeed be an iceberg phenomenon” Rio said when contacted by Kompas.com via short message on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. According to Rio, oversight must also target the parties behind the management of these venues. “I consider the concerns about practices of ‘changing clothes’ or changing the name of a PT after a nightlife venue is implicated in drug cases to be highly likely to occur if administrative oversight and ownership checks are not carried out comprehensively,” Rio said. Rio said the modus operandi of changing the business entity is often used to avoid administrative sanctions or to facilitate new licence applications. Therefore, he urged Disparekraf to have a blacklist system against managers or shareholders of entertainment venues who have previously been involved in serious violations. Rio also supported the Jakarta Provincial Government’s firm action to revoke the operating licences of venues believed to be related to drug cases. He said the moment of licence revocation should serve as a comprehensive evaluation of the governance of the Jakarta nightlife industry. “The entertainment industry must continue to operate healthily, but public safety, public order, and the eradication of narcotics must be the top priority,” he said. Attention to the oversight of nightlife venues intensified again following police raids on Karaoke B-Fashion and The Seven in West Jakarta related to alleged drug distribution. However, according to management statements, the drugs found were said not to originate from the operators.