Residents Hurl Firecrackers at Shop Suspected of Selling Tramadol, Frustrated by Ignored Police Reports

Jakarta — Residents have explained their reasons for hurling firecrackers at a shop suspected of selling tramadol in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta.

The action was taken because residents believed their reports to the police were never followed up on. Akbar, a pseudonym, who filmed the firecracker-throwing incident, stated that residents were frustrated because after making repeated reports regarding the sale of tramadol, no action had been taken.

“We took this initiative ourselves using firecrackers. We reported it to the police but were not heard. A week after they visited, the shop opened again. That’s why we threw the firecrackers,” Akbar said when contacted on Monday (9 March 2026).

“Based on the concerns of nearby residents. They shared their grievances with us through direct messages. When we threw the firecrackers, all the people in the shop ran away,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pasar Rebo Police Sub-Precinct Chief AKP I Wayan Wijaya assured that his office would immediately follow up on the incident.

“We will follow this up immediately,” Wijaya said when contacted on Monday.

He emphasised that police had previously conducted raids at several shops suspected of selling controlled substances.

“We have already conducted raids at shops suspected of selling controlled drugs, but we found nothing,” he stated.

Earlier, in a video posted on the Instagram account @badanperwakilannetizen, residents could be seen throwing firecrackers towards the shop suspected of selling controlled substances. In the footage, firecrackers are hurled into the shop, and shop staff are visible hiding and moving away as the firecrackers explode.