Former Kutai Barat Police Narcotics Unit Chief Shields Drug Trafficker
Former Head of the Kutai Barat Police’s Narcotics Investigation Unit (AKP Deky Jonathan Sasiang) has been detained after investigators from the Narcotics Crime Directorate of the Indonesian Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) completed their preliminary interview. Deky arrived at Bareskrim on Monday 18 May to be questioned in connection with alleged money laundering and the flow of funds received from Ishak’s drug network in an operation to shield the illicit drugs trade in East Kalimantan (Kaltim).
According to Brig. Gen. Eko Hadi Santoso of the Dittipidnarkoba Bareskrim, the preliminary interview (BAP) for the suspect has been completed by the Joint Investigation Team of Sub-Directorate II, Sub-Directorate IV and the NIC Task Force of Dittipidnarkoba Bareskrim Polri, and the suspect will be detained in the Bareskrim Detention House.
Previously, AKP Deky was arrested for alleged involvement in a drug network in the Kutai Barat region with drug trafficker Ishak. In addition to Deky, police arrested Mery Christine Kiling (26), who served as treasurer or financial holder for Ishak’s drug network. Mery was arrested together with Marselus Vernandus (42), who acted as an intermediary linking Deky to Mery.
Based on interrogations, around December 2025, AKP Deky asked Marselus for help to connect to Ishak via Mery. Deky asked Ishak to entice someone named Fathur to sell his one kilogram of methamphetamine so it could be used as material for an annual release.
“AKP Deky also promised that if successful in delivering that arrest, he would guarantee the safety of Ishak’s network to operate distributing drugs in Kutai Barat, East Kalimantan,” said Brig. Gen. Eko Hadi Santoso, Director of Narcotics Crime, Bareskrim Polri.
Meanwhile Mery, who is also Ishak’s prospective wife, admitted involvement in assisting the illicit operation. Besides managing finances, Mery was tasked with packaging meth parcels priced at Rp300-500 thousand and operating the drug sale counter.
“The counter was a workshop owned by Marselus and rented by Ishak under the pretext of opening a savings-and-loans cooperative, which was used as a drug sale counter by Ishak without Marselus’ knowledge,” Eko said.
Mery also disclosed details of the funds flow to AKP Deky to ensure the safety of Ishak’s drug network from interference. From the investigations, several cash payments were made towards the end of 2025: Rp5 million around October–November 2025 as monitoring money delivered to Deky’s home; Rp50 million in December 2025 delivered via Marselus on the pretext of Deky’s handover funds; and Rp15 million at the end of December 2025 for New Year’s Eve needs, delivered via Marselus.