Hotel Security Guard in Bandung Arrested for Selling Synthetic Tobacco

A security guard at a hotel in Bandung, West Java, has been secured by police. The suspect, identified as Farhan Maulana (19 years old), was selling the drug known as synthetic tobacco at the guard post where he works.

The case of circulating prohibited goods by a security guard was uncovered by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Unit of the Cimahi Police Resort. The revelation began when police secured a user in the jurisdiction of the Cimahi Police Resort.

“The suspect FM (Farhan Maulana) is 19 years old and works as security at one of the hotels in Bandung City,” said the Cimahi Police Chief, Niko Nurallah Adi Putra, when confirmed on Friday (8/5/2026).

Based on the suspect’s statement, the security guard had been moonlighting as a distributor of synthetic tobacco narcotics for the past month, under the pretext of gaining substantial profits. The suspect obtained the narcotics by purchasing them online from an Instagram social media account that is still under investigation.

“The goods secured weigh 33 grams of synthetic tobacco. So the suspect obtained the narcotics by buying them online from social media. This is currently still under investigation,” said Niko.

The evidence obtained online was then packaged into several packets and promoted using his personal Instagram account. After reaching an agreement with buyers, transactions were conducted via cash on delivery (COD).

“So the transaction method is by sticking it or COD directly at the guard post where he works. Because the suspect realised he could not leave his workplace,” he said.

From his illicit business of selling synthetic tobacco narcotics, the security guard gained a profit of Rp2,000,000. The police will charge the security guard under Article 114 of Law No. 35 of 2009 on Narcotics and/or Article 610 paragraph (1) letter a of Law No. 1 of 2026 on Criminal Adjustment, with a penalty of life imprisonment or a minimum of 6 years to a maximum of 20 years in prison.