Drug Trafficker Who Paid Rp 2.8 Billion to Former Bima Police Chief Resisted During Arrest

Erwin Iskandar, alias Ko Erwin, a drug trafficker who paid Rp 2.8 billion to former Bima City Police Chief AKBP Didik Putra Kuncoro, briefly resisted when arrested by the National Police Criminal Investigation Bureau on Thursday, 26 February 2026 in Tanjungbalai, North Sumatra.

“There was some, but it was minimal,” said Head of the Narcotics Crimes Taskforce at the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Senior Commissioner Kevin Leleury, when met at Terminal 1C Arrivals at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang on Friday, 27 February 2026.

The arrest took place whilst the suspect was aboard a vessel and allegedly attempting to flee to Malaysia. “The suspect was conducting a crossing using a boat when we made the arrest, and it was suspected he was heading to Malaysia,” Kevin explained.

In addition to Ko Erwin, police also arrested two individuals suspected of assisting the suspect’s escape. “Three persons have been secured so far. First, initial A alias G was secured in Riau. Then the second, initial R alias K, was secured in Tanjungbalai,” Kevin clarified.

These two individuals are believed to have arranged for Ko Erwin to escape to Malaysia.

Ko Erwin is a methamphetamine trafficker operating in the East Nusa Tenggara region and had been listed on the Criminal Investigation Bureau’s wanted persons list under the designation DPO/23/II/RES.4.2./2026/Dittipidnarkoba.

During the arrest, police seized several pieces of evidence that are now undergoing further examination at the Criminal Investigation Bureau.

The National Police Criminal Investigation Bureau’s Narcotics Crimes Directorate had previously taken over the pursuit of Ko Erwin. The Rp 2.8 billion received by the former Bima City Police Chief originated from two other traffickers with initials B alias Boy and KE alias Koko Erwin.