Police Foil 41.4 Kg of Meth in South Sulawesi, Criminologist Highlights Transit Route Modus

The South Sulawesi Regional Police (Polda Sulsel), through the Parepare Police, successfully uncovered a large-scale drug network on Wednesday, 10 June 2026. In the operation, officers thwarted the smuggling of 41.4 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine and 157 electronic cigarette (vape) cartridges containing the hazardous chemical Etomidate. Criminologist Tegar Bimantoro provided an in-depth analysis of the vulnerability map in the region. According to him, the geographical position of Parepare City makes it a highly vulnerable transit point for illicit drug distribution. ‘We know that Parepare is a strategic transit area. There is Nusantara Port there, which connects islands within the South Sulawesi region and even provides direct access to Kalimantan and West Nusa Tenggara,’ Tegar stated on Wednesday. Observing the route characteristics, Tegar strongly suspects these illicit commodities originated from an international network. ‘There is a high probability that this seizure originates from a transnational network entering via the Kalimantan route, then crossing over to Parepare, ready for distribution throughout Sulawesi or to be shipped onwards to other islands,’ he said. Tegar asserted that drug crimes fall into the category of extraordinary crime. He considers breaking the chain of the drug business extremely difficult, even when kingpins are firmly dealt with and sentenced to death. Tegar revealed several factors making the drug business hard to eradicate, including the evolution of dark networks, with criminals constantly moving dynamically. Every day, he said, they devise new methods to deceive field officers. ‘Furthermore, the fantastic business profits, economic factors, and low human resource quality are the main triggers. When couriers or dealers lack permanent employment, this illegal business with massive money circulation often becomes a shortcut they choose,’ he said.