Riau Police Chief: Panipahan Incident Serves as Wake-Up Call for Synergy in Combating Drugs
Riau Police Chief Irjen Pol Herry Heryawan has stated that the incident in Panipahan, Rokan Hilir Regency (Rohil), serves as a wake-up call not only for the police but for all elements of society. The event is hoped to become a momentum for strengthening synergy between Polri-TNI, local government, and all community components to jointly combat drugs.
“The incident in Panipahan a while ago must be interpreted as a wake-up call for all of us—not just for the police sector, police resort, or provincial police—but also for BNN, Customs, TNI, up to the district and village governments,” said Irjen Herry Heryawan during the launch of the Resilient Anti-Drug Village at Riau Police Headquarters, Pekanbaru, on Thursday (16/4/2026).
“That incident is a spark so that we do not only think about efforts to uncover cases, but also how to create values and better social change,” he continued.
Regarding law enforcement, the Police Chief explained that no fewer than 3,287 drug cases with 4,719 suspects arrested have been handled since 2025 up to April 2026. However, these figures are not a measure of success, given that Indonesia is now a target drug market.
“We must realise that Indonesia is no longer just a transit point but has become a market,” he said.
Directly bordering neighbouring countries makes Riau Province vulnerable to drug smuggling. Therefore, the Police Chief emphasised that the war against drugs is not the task of the police alone, but requires collaboration and synergy across agencies.
“We border directly with neighbouring countries, so strengthening at the grassroots level is the main key through collaborative prevention and eradication strategies,” he stated.
Establishment of Anti-Drug Villages
As a form of seriousness in efforts to eradicate drugs in Riau Province, Polda Riau has formed Resilient Anti-Drug Villages in five areas. With these Anti-Drug Villages, the community can protect itself from the dangers of drugs.
The Resilient Anti-Drug Village in Panipahan, Pasir Limau Kapas Subdistrict, Rokan Hilir Regency (Rohil); Kampung Dalam in Senapelan Subdistrict, Pekanbaru City; Empang Pandan Village, Koto Gasib Subdistrict, Siak Regency; Laksamana Ward, Dumai City Subdistrict, Dumai; and Jangkang Village, Bantan Subdistrict, Bengkalis Regency.
“This resilient village is our way of strengthening the grassroots community. This task is not just the police’s duty, but a collective task for all of us to conduct mapping and assessment of social potential,” said Irjen Pol Herry Heryawan at Riau Police Headquarters, Pekanbaru City, on Thursday (16/4/2026).
In his speech, the Riau Police Chief touched on the commotion incident and community aspirations regarding drugs in Panipahan, Rokan Hilir, a while ago. He called the incident a harsh warning (wake-up call) not only for police apparatus but also for other agencies and government.
On the other hand, the Akpol 96 graduate also expressed his appreciation to the mothers in Panipahan who dared to speak out. Based on post-conflict assessment, it was revealed that many families have been destroyed by drugs, including fishermen trapped in the myth that drugs can increase strength while at sea.
“The Panipahan incident is a wake-up call not only for the sector police chief, but for me, the Regional Command Chief, BNNP, Customs, up to the local government. We conducted an assessment, and it turned out there was a lack of police and government touch there,” said Irjen Herry.
Massive Rotation
As a concrete action, the Police Chief conducted a comprehensive internal evaluation. He carried out a clean-up by rotating dozens of personnel.
“I replaced 28 personnel there. Only those who were not identified as ‘colluding’ with networks remained. Before the roll call, I had the new personnel undergo urine tests in front of the public,” he asserted.
Furthermore, Irjen Herry Heryawan said his side is not standing idle in the war against drugs. He outlined that Polda Riau’s achievements from 2025-2026 have uncovered 3,287 cases with the number of suspects reaching 4,719 people.