Police seize 28,243 prescription drug tablets from convenience store in Jagakarsa
Jakarta — Police have seized 28,243 prescription drug tablets from a convenience store in the Jagakarsa area of South Jakarta following a public report regarding their circulation.
“In total, several types of prescription drugs were found, totalling approximately 28,243 tablets,” said Head of the Narcotics Investigation Unit (Kasat Resnarkoba) at the South Jakarta Metro Police, AKBP Prasetyo Nugroho, during a press conference at the South Jakarta Metro Police station on Sunday.
Prasetyo stated that this enforcement action reflected the attention of leadership, including the Metro Jaya Police Chief and the South Jakarta Metro Police Chief, in combating the distribution of prescription drugs in the area.
The case began with community information regarding a store selling prescription drugs in Jagakarsa District, specifically on Jalan Pepaya Raya, Jagakarsa Village, South Jakarta, on Friday 13 March at 21.00 WIB.
At the first location, police secured evidence including 37 tablets of Mercy brand psychotropic drugs, 100 tablets of Trihexyphenidyl 2 mg, 2,380 tablets of Hexymer, 60 tablets of Tramadol and 500 tablets of Tramadol. Additionally, 18 Double Y tablets, 750,000 rupiah in cash, one Oppo mobile telephone unit and one Infinix mobile telephone unit were recovered.
“From there we were able to arrest two suspects, believed to be store attendants with the initials WA and M. At that location, approximately 3,095 tablets of Schedule G prescription drugs were found,” he said.
Following the arrests, police expanded the investigation to a boarding house on Jalan Blimbing, Jagakarsa Village, South Jakarta.
At the second location, approximately 8,355 Hexymer tablets, 60 Plenozepam tablets, 50 Alprazolam tablets, 70 Alprazolam 1 ml tablets, 16 Herlopam brand tablets and 89 Valium/Diazepam tablets were discovered. Additionally, 50 Atarak Alprazolam tablets, 1,578 Double Y tablets, 1,010 Trihexyphenidyl 2 mg tablets and 13,870 Tramadol tablets were found.
“Initially there was a mobile phone shop and then a convenience store, and then these shops had drugs secretly inserted into them illegally and clandestinely,” he said.
He added that both suspects had only been managing the store for approximately one year. “These two suspects have only been managing this store for one year,” he said.
For their actions, the suspects have been charged under Articles 435 and subsidiarily Article 436 paragraphs (1) and (2) of Law Number 17 Year 2023 concerning Health as amended in Appendix I of Law Number 1 Year 2026 concerning Criminal Penalties Adjustment, as well as Article 62 of Law Number 5 Year 1997 concerning Psychotropic Substances as amended in Appendix I of Law Number 1 Year 2026 concerning Criminal Penalties Adjustment.
Under these provisions, any person who produces or distributes pharmaceutical preparations that do not meet safety, efficacy and quality standards, or does not have the authority to practise pharmacy, as well as any person who possesses, stores and carries psychotropic substances may be sentenced to a maximum of 12 years imprisonment.