Police Seize Etomidate Worth Rp97 Billion from International Syndicate

The Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police, part of the Metro Jaya Regional Police, successfully seized 8.6 litres of the Category II narcotic etomidate with an estimated economic value of Rp97.8 billion from an international drug trafficking network. Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police Chief, Senior Commissioner Wisnu Wardana, stated on Monday in Tangerang that the evidence was obtained from three cases uncovered over a five-month period, from February to May 2026. “In total, we secured 8,600 millilitres of liquid etomidate with an estimated economic value of around Rp97.8 billion,” he said. The cross-border smuggling network involved four suspects from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and China. They acted as couriers, receiving payments ranging from Rp45 million to Rp132 million per person. “The uncovering of these three cases has the potential to save approximately 55,928 individuals from drug abuse,” he added. He noted that the successful operation was the result of synergy between the Police Narcotics Unit and Customs and Excise in monitoring passenger traffic at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Banten. “This discovery shows that Soekarno-Hatta Airport remains a target for international narcotics networks to bring etomidate into Indonesia,” he said. The first case began on 21 May 2026 at Terminal 2F International Arrivals. Following suspicious information regarding luggage belonging to TN and CT, who had just arrived from Malaysia on AirAsia flight QZ241, officers conducted an inspection after the plane landed. A search of TN’s belongings uncovered two silver plastic packages containing 2,000 ml of etomidate with a gross weight of 1,995 grams. Meanwhile, from CT’s silver suitcase, officers found two bottles labelled “Dove” containing 2,000 ml of etomidate with a gross weight of 2,244 grams, bringing the total evidence seized in this case to 4,000 ml. The suspects were promised a payment of 3,000 Singapore dollars, or approximately Rp42 million, plus a trip to Indonesia. Both suspects claimed they were instructed by an individual with the initials DN, who is now on the wanted list, to bring the items to Jakarta. In the second case, uncovered on 25 May 2026 at Terminal 2F International Arrivals, officers detained a Chinese national with the initials JZ who had arrived from Thailand on Thai Lion Air flight SL116. During an inspection of his black suitcase, a bottle labelled “Dove” containing 500 ml of etomidate weighing 572.2 grams was found hidden inside a plastic bag. The investigation revealed that JZ was ordered by an individual with the initials HC, who is also on the wanted list, to transport the etomidate from Thailand to Jakarta. The illicit goods were to be collected by a recipient in Jakarta after JZ returned to his home country. JZ was promised a payment of 50,000 Yuan, or approximately Rp132.5 million. The evidence is estimated to be worth Rp5.6 billion and could have produced around 800 ready-to-distribute vape cartridges. The third case began on 26 February 2026 at Terminal 3 International Arrivals. Officers detained SP, a Thai national who arrived on Thai Airways flight TG435 from Bangkok. Inside his black suitcase, officers found seven bottles of liquid etomidate disguised as everyday products. Specifically, three bottles labelled “Parrot” contained 2,100 ml of etomidate, and four bottles labelled “Coconut Oil” contained 2,000 ml. The suspect was promised a payment of 80,000 Baht, or approximately Rp43.6 million. The economic value of the evidence is estimated at Rp44.8 billion and could have yielded 6,400 vape cartridges containing etomidate. The total evidence in this case reached 4,100 ml with a gross weight of 4,129 grams. SP claimed he was instructed by an individual with the initials SS, who is now a fugitive, and that the goods were to be collected by a network recipient in Jakarta after SP returned to Thailand.