Police Arrest Malaysian National for Drug-Laced Vape Trafficking in Medan

The Narcotics Unit of the Medan Metropolitan Police in North Sumatra has arrested a Malaysian national who is both a supplier and distributor of drug-laced vapes, commonly known as ‘pod getar’. The suspect was apprehended together with his Indonesian girlfriend. During the arrest, police seized 29 drug-laced vape devices believed to have been brought in from Malaysia.

Head of the Narcotics Unit, AKBP Rafli Yusuf Nugraha, said the operation began with information received by Unit 2 officers regarding the suspected activities of the couple, who frequently distributed vapes containing narcotics. Responding to this information, officers conducted an investigation and arrested a 22-year-old Malaysian man, identified as FCB, and a 35-year-old Indonesian woman, identified as N, from Jalan Pukat Banting, Medan Tembung District. The arrest took place in a shophouse car park on Jalan Cemara, Percut Sei Tuan District, on Tuesday (25/8).

At the time of arrest, the Malaysian national and his girlfriend were inside a car. Police seized 24 drug-laced vapes stored in a backpack. Officers then expanded their investigation and searched the Malaysian national’s rented room on Jalan PWS, Medan Petisah District. In the room, officers found an additional five drug-laced vapes and 15,000 Malaysian ringgit, equivalent to approximately Rp66 million, stored inside a safe. The money is suspected to be proceeds from drug sales, as evidence was found of currency exchange from rupiah to Malaysian ringgit at a money changer.

From initial questioning, FCB and N admitted to meeting through social media and subsequently meeting in Malaysia, where they agreed to distribute drugs in Medan. FCB initially brought 20 drug-laced vapes in July 2026, all of which sold out with N’s help. Buyers were generally friends of N in Medan. The suspect smuggled the vapes from Malaysia alone, concealing them inside folded clothes arranged in a suitcase. FCB reportedly also distributed drugs in Malaysia.

After successfully selling the vapes in Medan, the suspect repeated the same operation. Before his arrest, he had brought 40 drug-laced vapes using the same method, which went undetected by X-ray scanners at Kualanamu Airport in Medan. The seized vapes were the unsold remainder of that shipment. Both suspects tested positive for etomidate. The Medan Police Narcotics Unit is still pursuing FCB’s boss, believed to be in Malaysia, and is coordinating with the Royal Malaysia Police.