Police Dismantle Home-Based Narcotics Cartridge Industry in PIK

Tangerang (ANTARA) - Officers of the Tangerang City Police (Polresta), together with customs officers from Soekarno-Hatta Airport (Soetta) in Tangerang, Banten, have dismantled a home industry operation producing the narcotic etomidate in the elite Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) residential area of North Jakarta on Friday.

During the raid, officers from the Narcotics Investigation Unit (Satnarkoba) discovered thousands of ready-to-distribute cartridge pods, as well as production equipment resembling a mini laboratory, which was subsequently seized.

In addition, officers secured one suspect with the initials LHM (34), a Singaporean national who was found to have acted as the cook of the narcotic products.

He explained that the case was uncovered after customs officers at Soekarno-Hatta Airport foiled an attempt to smuggle a package containing two bottles of etomidate raw material weighing 2,200 grams from Malaysia.

Officers then carried out a joint operation between Customs and the Police, which led them to the narcotics production site in the elite PIK residential area.

“There, we found thousands of cartridges ready for mass production,” he said.

During the operation, police revealed that the home-based industry had only recently begun operating and produced the cartridge products on Thursday (16/7). Based on the findings, two litres of etomidate raw material was capable of producing approximately 2,000 ready-to-distribute cartridge pods.

“We are still conducting further investigation. More detailed information will be conveyed in the next press conference,” he said.

The suspect, along with all items of evidence including the etomidate and other production equipment, has been secured by the Soetta Airport Police for further investigation.

Meanwhile, the luxury house used as the narcotics production site by this international network has been sealed and secured by the competent authorities.