Nine Drug Suspects Arrested After Attack That Killed Three Officers in Katingan
The Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) is continuing to investigate a drug network in Katingan, Central Kalimantan, whose members resisted arrest, leading to the deaths of three police officers. To date, a total of nine suspects have been apprehended in the operation.
The arrests were carried out by a joint team from Sub-Directorate IV of the Bareskrim Narcotics Crime Directorate, the Bareskrim NIC Task Force, the Central Kalimantan Regional Police, and the Katingan Resort Police, led by Senior Commissioner Handik Zusen and Senior Commissioner Kevin Leleury. The suspects were captured in a series of operations conducted on Thursday, 2 July.
“We have now detained nine suspects, including the kingpins Bio, Ramblan alias Busu, and Perie. The team is currently working to apprehend three fugitives,” said Brigadier General Eko Hadi Santoso, Director of Narcotics Crime at Bareskrim, in a statement on Saturday, 11 July 2026.
The nine suspects and their roles are as follows:
Saldy alias Ateng (38): Carried a homemade firearm, shot at officers, and provoked residents.
Dea Nabila alias Dea (22).
Isnan Melani Pebriansyah alias Roby (27): Carried a homemade firearm, provoked residents, and disposed of bodies in the river.
Nimu (29): Carried a spear and provoked residents.
Ahmad Riyadi Saputra alias Yadi (21): Provoked residents and attacked with a machete.
M Lupie (40): Carried a machete and a homemade firearm, and shot at officers.
Bio (29): A drug kingpin who participated in the attack, assaulted officers using a homemade firearm and machete, and provoked residents.
Ramblan (25): A methamphetamine dealer who provoked residents, carried a homemade firearm, and fired shots.
Perie (43): Carried a homemade firearm and a traditional mandau sword, and shot at officers.
Following the clash in Katingan, the joint team dispersed to search the suspects’ escape routes. Through integrated investigation, the team identified and arrested the perpetrators at their hiding places. The team first arrested Saldy alias Ateng, who was hiding on the riverbank in Tumbang Pariyei Village, Central Katingan District, on Friday, 3 July, without resistance. The next day, they arrested Isnan Melani Pebriansyah alias Robi in Tumbang Kalemei Village, Central Katingan District. The investigation continued, and the following day, the team arrested Nimu, who was hiding in a hut in Tumbang Kalemei Village.
On Tuesday, 7 July, the joint team arrested Ahmad Riyadi Saputra alias Yadi and M Lupie. Interrogation of these two suspects revealed the involvement of other perpetrators, including Bio, Ramblan alias Busu, and Perie, who had fled Central Kalimantan for East Kalimantan Province using a travel vehicle heading to Tanjung Selor, North Kalimantan.
“On Wednesday, 8 July 2026, at around 11:45 PM Central Indonesian Time, based on monitoring and roadblocks, the joint team and Samarinda Metropolitan Police personnel managed to stop the travel vehicle used by the perpetrators on the Samarinda-Bontang highway, precisely in the South Prangat District area of Kutai Kartanegara Regency. In this operation, suspects Bio, Ramblan alias Busu, and Perie were secured,” he explained.
Despite the arrest of Bio, Ramblan alias Busu, and Perie, the investigation is ongoing. The joint team continues to probe the involvement of other suspects, including those on the wanted list. “The fugitives we are still pursuing include Pia alias Diyon, Darius alias Iyus, and Ilue,” he concluded.