Police Expose Illegal Drug Sales Disguised as Mobile Phone and Provisions Shops in Depok and South Jakarta
Police have exposed an illegal drug distribution case spanning Depok to South Jakarta. The drug shop was disguised with the guise of a mobile phone shop and provisions store.
The Directorate of Narcotics Investigation (Ditresnarkoba) of the Metro Jaya Police has thwarted the circulation of illegal drugs in South Jakarta and Depok by securing three suspects. The suspects operated by deceiving customers, posing as mobile phone shop owners and provisions sellers.
The first arrest was carried out on Wednesday (11 March) around 21:00 WIB at a mobile phone shop located on Nangka Street, Tanjung Barat Village, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta. The case discovery began with public information regarding alleged circulation of strong medicines sold covertly under the guise of a mobile phone sales business.
In response to the report, the operational team of Unit 2 Sub-directorate 3 of Ditresnarkoba Metro Jaya Police conducted an investigation and visited the location in question. Officers successfully apprehended a suspect with initials MI (18) and found 454 units of strong medicine.
“The second arrest again secured two men with initials B (30) and ML (20) during a raid at a rented house in the Cimanggis area, Depok City,” said the Head of Public Relations of Metro Jaya Police, Kombes Budi Hermanto in his statement on Sunday (15 March 2026).
Public Information
The case discovery in Depok originated from public information regarding the practice of selling strong medicines disguised as a provisions seller in a shop house. However, when officers visited, the shop house was closed.
“The team then received further information that distribution activities were being conducted at a rented house on Jalan Benda Kramat, Cisalak, Cimanggis. When a police search was conducted, officers successfully confiscated 1,897 units of Schedule G drugs,” said Budi.
“Therefore, police successfully apprehended three suspects and confiscated 2,351 units of Schedule G drugs,” he added.
Head of Unit 2 Sub-directorate 3, Kompol Denny Simanjuntak, stated that the three perpetrators apprehended had initials M.I (18) in the Jagakarsa area, South Jakarta. Then M.L. (20) and B. (30) in the Cimanggis, Depok area.
“The evidence we secured includes medicines on Schedule G and psychotropic substances totalling approximately 2,400 units and proceeds from sales. The success of this case was also thanks to collaboration and information sharing from the community in supporting the Jakarta security programme to realise a conducive security situation in the Metro Jaya Police jurisdiction,” he stated.
The three perpetrators along with evidence have been brought to the Narcotics Investigation Directorate headquarters for further examination.
Two Drug Sellers Arrested in South Jakarta
Police also arrested two drug sellers with initials WA and M in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta. A total of 28,243 units of strong medicine were confiscated.
On Friday (13 March) at 21:00 WIB, the Narcotics Robbery Team of South Jakarta Metro Police received information from the community about a shop selling or distributing strong medicines in the Jagakarsa district, specifically on Papaya Street and Raya Street, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta.
“And there we managed to apprehend two suspects who allegedly were shop keepers with initials WA and M,” said the Head of Narcotics of South Jakarta Metro Police AKBP Prasetyo Nugroho during a press conference at South Jakarta Police Station on Sunday (15 March).
Officers found Schedule G drugs totalling 3,095 units. Upon further investigation, police visited a boarding house and rented accommodation on Belimbing Street, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta.
“And there we found several types of strong medicines totalling approximately 25,148 units. From the statement of the shop keeper, WA, these medicines were sold at prices ranging from Rp 5,000 to Rp 40,000 with a daily profit of approximately Rp 200,000,” he said.
Based on the perpetrators’ statement, the drugs originated from A, who is suspected of being the owner of the drugs as well as the owner of the shop. A is currently on the wanted persons list.
Method: Mobile Phone Shops to Grocery Stores
The modus operandi involved the perpetrators selling illegal drugs under the guise of mobile phone shops and grocery stores. Both have been operating for approximately one year.
“First, there were those selling mobile phone shops then grocery stores, and then these shops had medicines hidden in them illegally and covertly. These two perpetrators we investigated have only been doing this for a year, they have only been minding the shop for a year,” he explained.
Evidence secured includes 37 units of psychotropic substances, 100 units of Trihexyphenidyl 2 mg, 2,380 units of Hexymer, 60 units of Tramadol, 18 units of Double Y, and 8,355 units of various Schedule G drugs at the second location with a total of 28,243 units.
As a result of their actions, the two perpetrators face charges under Article 435 subsidiary Article 436 Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Republic of Indonesia Law Number 17 Year 2023 on Health as amended in Appendix 1 of Republic of Indonesia Law Number 1 Year 2026 on Criminal Sanctions Adjustment and Article 62 of Law Number 5 Year 1997 on Psychotropic Substances as amended in Appendix 1 of Republic of Indonesia Law Number 1 Year 2026 on Criminal Sanctions Adjustment with a threat of 12 years imprisonment.