Suyudi's Track Record Towards National Police Chief: From the Novel Case and Car Rental Boss to the Rp5 Trillion Methamphetamine Bust
The long journey of Police Commissioner Suyudi Ario Seto towards the position of Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Kapolri) is nearing its conclusion. His decades-long career has been forged through criminal investigation, forensics, and various strategic positions within the Metro Jaya Regional Police and the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskerv Polri).
On Thursday (1/10/2026), Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) unanimously approved Suyudi as the new Kapolri, succeeding General Listyo Sigit Prabowo. This follows a letter sent by President Prabowo Subianto to the DPR on 30 September 2026, proposing the dismissal of Listyo Sigit and the appointment of a new Chief.
Suyudi is not a new name within the Indonesian National Police. A 1994 graduate of the Police Academy (Akpol), he possesses extensive specialisation in criminal investigation. His previous roles include Unit Leader of the Metro Jaya Mobile Brigade (Resmob), Metro Pasar Minggu Police Chief, Head of Criminal Investigation at South Jakarta Metro Police, Unit Leader of Violent Crimes (Jatanras) at Metro Jaya, and Head of Criminal Investigation at both Tangerang Kota and West Jakarta Metro Police.
His career subsequently progressed to the National Police Headquarters. Suyudi has served as the Unit Leader of Resmob at Bareskrimum, Deputy Director of Motor Vehicle Crimes at Metro Jaya, and Deputy Director of Special Economic and Cyber Crimes at Bareskrimum Polri.
He has also undertaken several regional assignments, leading the Majalengka, Bogor, Bogor City, and Central Jakarta Metro Police. In 2019, he was entrusted as the Director of General Criminal Investigation at Metro Jaya Regional Police. Subsequently, he served as Deputy Chief of Metro Jaya Regional Police in 2023 and Banten Regional Police Chief in 2024.
One of the most prominent cases intersecting with Suyudi’s career was the acid attack on KPK investigator Novel Baswedan. While serving as Director of Criminal Investigation at Metro Jaya in 2019, Suyudi was tasked with handling several major unresolved cases, including the Novel case, the murder of University of Indonesia student Akseyna Ahad Dori, and cases related to alleged treason plots.
The Novel case drew significant public attention due to the 2017 attack on the KPK investigator. Suyudi was one of the officials responsible for managing the investigation process during his tenure as Director of Criminal Investigation.
Suyudi’s criminal investigation expertise was further demonstrated during his leadership of the Banten Regional Police. A notable incident was the shooting of a car rental boss in Tangerang in January 2025. This case drew public scrutiny following the victim’s death and raised concerns regarding the professionalism of police officers in handling the rental owner’s report.
In that matter, Suyudi did not only lead the case breakthrough but also ordered the reassignment of the Cinangka Police Chief, AKP Asep Iwan, and two other officers due to professionalism issues regarding the acceptance of the report.
Under his leadership, the Banten Regional Police also recorded the resolution of thousands of cases. Throughout 2024, the Criminal Investigation Directorate and its subordinates recorded 4,155 criminal offences, a 15 per cent increase compared to 2023. The resolution of criminal cases reached 3,509 cases, a 69 per cent increase from the previous year.
Notable cases included counterfeit oil, gas injections, corruption, the misuse of subsidised fuel, endorsements, and online gambling.
From Banten Regional Police Chief to Head of BNN
Suyudi’s career then entered a different phase. In August 2025, he was inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto as the Head of the National Narcotics Board (BNN), replacing Commissioner Suyudi Marthinus Hukom. His rank was subsequently promoted from Inspector General to Commissioner in September 2025.
Shortly after leading the BNN, Suyudi gained prominence through a transnational operation that successfully captured Dewi Astutik, alias PA, an Interpol fugitive identified by the BNN as the primary actor in the smuggling of two tonnes of methamphetamine valued at approximately Rp5 trillion. The arrest took place in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, in December 2025, involving cooperation between the BNN, the Cambodian Police, and Indonesian elements in Cambodia. Suyudi stated that the seizure of two tonnes of methamphetamine saved approximately eight million lives from the threat of narcotics.
His experience at the BNN added a new dimension to his track record. While much of his career was built on handling conventional criminal cases and investigations, his role as Head of the BNN brought him face-to-face with transnational drug networks.
Having risen through the ranks of the Mobile Brigade, Violent Crimes units, and various investigative roles before holding regional leadership positions, he also gained experience managing regional police and national agencies outside the standard police structure. He now brings this experience to the helm of the Bhayangkara Corps.
During his fitness and propriety test at Commission III of the DPR, Suyudi presented the theme “Police Together with the Community” as his leadership doctrine and the direction for the police transformation. He stated his intention to continue the positive programmes and policies of previous Chiefs, with an emphasis on community service and improved report handling.
For Suyudi, the journey from the Metro Jaya Mobile Brigade to the top position in the Bhayangkara Corps brings a unique set of assets: expertise in investigation, law enforcement, regional leadership, and the eradication of transnational crime.