Secret Drug Lab Run by Russian Network Uncovered at Gianyar Villa, Bali
Secret Drug Lab Run by Russian Network Uncovered at Gianyar Villa, Bali
BNN has arrested two Russian nationals, Sergei Tras (ST) and Natalia Tomberg (NA). They were detained in connection with the production of 7.3 kilograms of the drug mephedrone at a clandestine laboratory located in a villa in Gianyar, Bali.
Sergei is known to be a former member of Russian military intelligence. Natalia has a background in Biology. “ST is a former Russian military intelligence officer. He is no longer in intelligence due to back problems. Meanwhile NA studied Biology,” said Acting Deputy for Eradication of BNN Brigadier General Roy Hardi Siahaan during a press conference at the villa on Jalan Padat Karya, Blahbatuh District, Gianyar, Bali, on Saturday (7 March 2026).
Hardi disclosed that Sergei first arrived on the island in early January 2026. Armed with three passports under different names, Sergei acted as a courier for the raw materials for making mephedrone imported from China.
Sergei then delivered shipments of chemical liquids from China to the villa in Gianyar. There, Natalia was responsible for processing all the precursors using equipment purchased in Indonesia.
“The precursors are turned into mephedrone. There is no Indonesian term for the drug because it had not circulated in Indonesia before,” Hardi said.
Drug market via the Dark Web
Hardi explained that Natalia processed the chemical liquids into mephedrone in powder and crystal form. The powder and crystals were essentially ready for consumption, though they could still be converted into other forms such as cocaine or ecstasy by users.
After processing, NA sold the drug to customers who were also Russian nationals. The mephedrone was marketed through dark web marketplaces or anonymous markets on the darknet. Transactions used cryptocurrency or Bitcoin.
“Accessing NA’s marketplace on the dark web is quite difficult for us,” Hardi stated.
Sergei and Natalia were not acquainted. They are described as pawns controlled by a Russian individual with the initials SK. SK is now on the run and suspected to be abroad.
“They did not know each other, but they could interact because they were controlled by SK,” Hardi said.
Hardi noted that Natalia was paid IDR 30 million and provided with free villa accommodation for two months in Gianyar. Sergei did not receive payment and was only provided with a free villa in Sukawati, Gianyar.
Natalia allegedly processed all raw materials into mephedrone daily from midnight to 04:00 local time. The villa on Jalan Padat Karya, however, was not her residence; she is known to move between villas while in Gianyar.
Using counterfeit passports
Sergei and Natalia reportedly used counterfeit passports during their activities in Bali. This was revealed after a joint team raided two separate locations in Gianyar on Thursday (5 March 2026) at around 23:30 local time.
At the first location, Villa Renas Kubu, officers arrested Sergei Tras. From this location, authorities seized the Russian passport, a bag of evidence, and a canister containing chemical liquids believed to be precursors for drug production.
At the second location, The Tetamian Bali, officers arrested Natalia Tomberg. From the white Toyota Agya car she rented, officers found several chemical liquids suspected to be connected to drug production.
Additionally, officers found a passport suspected to be fake under the name Kseniia Kozina. The passport is believed to have been used by Natalia to rent vehicles and villas during her stay in Bali.
After arresting both, the joint team moved to Villa De Bale Marcapada in the Saba area, Blahbatuh District, Gianyar. At this villa, investigators found a clandestine drug laboratory. Two rooms in the villa were used as production sites for mephedrone.
One Russian national on the DPO list
Acting Deputy for Eradication of BNN Brigadier General Roy Hardi Siahaan revealed there is another Russian national with the initials SK alias KS acting as the controller. SK is now listed as a person of interest (DPO).
“After we questioned these two people (Tras and Natalia), we designated (SK) as a DPO (fugitive),” Hardi said.
Hardi explained that SK had briefly resided in Bali for about a month before Tras and Natalia arrived. While in Bali, SK received several packages containing chemical liquids imported from China.
Thereafter, SK returned to Russia. Although overseas, he continues to control the activities of Tras and Natalia in Bali, including importing chemicals under Natalia’s name. Several chemicals sent from China to Bali include Hydrobromide and Methylamine.
“Those two chemical liquids are precursors for the addictive substance (narcotics) known as mephedrone. Under Minister of Health Regulation No. 15 of 2025, they are classified as Narcotics Class 1,” he stated.
Now, Sergei Tras and Natalia Tomberg must answer for their actions before the law. They face Article 114 of Law No. 35 of 2009 on Narcotics together with several other charges, with a potential death penalty.
DPR member calls for villa owners to monitor guests
Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Commission III, I Nyoman Parta, urged villa owners to be more vigilant about visitor activities. He particularly called on owners who rent out properties on a self-check-in basis to monitor their premises.
“To all accommodation owners, especially those with self-check-in systems, please monitor your premises. Do not simply accept payment,” Parta said.
Parta added that some CCTV cameras are installed inside the villa. He believes owners should utilise these devices to monitor tenant activity.
“This villa even has CCTV and has been occupied for a month. Yet the foreigners staying here were not checked using CCTV footage,” the PDIP politician added.
(iws/iws)