North Sumatra Police: Methamphetamine Seizures Show Rising Trend Over Past Three Years

The North Sumatra Regional Police have reported that methamphetamine seizures in the region have shown an increasing trend over the past three years. During a press conference at the North Sumatra Police Headquarters in Medan on Monday, Chief of Police Inspector General Whisnu Hermawan Februanto stated that the Directorate of Drug Investigation and its ranks confiscated approximately 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine in 2024, rising to 1.7 tonnes in 2025. Meanwhile, during the first six months of 2026, the North Sumatra Police force has uncovered 948 kilogrammes of methamphetamine. According to him, eradicating drugs is a priority for the North Sumatra Police, involving all levels of the police force, from municipal and city police to district and sub-district police stations. Beyond enforcement, the North Sumatra Police are also strengthening cooperation with Customs and Excise, airport authorities, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and local governments to curb the entry of narcotics into North Sumatra. The North Sumatra Police urged the public to report any activities suspected of being related to drug abuse or illicit narcotics trafficking. Meanwhile, Director of Drug Investigation for the North Sumatra Police, Senior Commissioner Andy Arisandi, said various efforts were made in uncovering these cases, including collaborating with the Malaysian Consulate in Medan regarding wanted persons lists in these drug cases. This is because evidence seized from North Sumatran waters is suspected to originate from Malaysia, and networks and kingpins have been identified using mobile phone numbers from that country. Additionally, the North Sumatra Police and its ranks conducted Operation Antik Toba 2026, raiding locations suspected of being drug abuse sites, developing investigations into networks, and conducting raids at nightlife entertainment venues.