Tramadol Emergency: Hard Drugs Sold Through Illegal Convenience and Cosmetics Shops
The trend of hard drug abuse, including tramadol, is currently generating considerable discussion on social media. Some internet users have shared video recordings protesting the existence of shops disguised as general stores and cosmetics outlets that are selling tramadol without authorisation. Several social media posts have even gone viral showing citizens attacking such unauthorised drug-selling shops with firecrackers.
The National Narcotics Board (BNN) is monitoring the trend of hard drug abuse, although tramadol has not yet been classified as a narcotic or psychotropic substance. Tramadol is a prescription drug that must only be obtained with a doctor’s authorisation.
Police have carried out a series of raids and arrests of illegal tramadol dealers in various regions, including Jakarta and its surroundings.
Central Jakarta
Most recently, the Narcotics Investigation Unit of Central Jakarta Police arrested a man suspected of distributing hard drugs without authorisation in several locations around Tanah Abang Station. “We will not provide any space for those engaged in illegal hard drug distribution in Central Jakarta,” said Central Jakarta Police Chief Kombes Polisi Reynold EP Hutagalung in Jakarta on Sunday (15/3).
Reynold stated that the arrest was carried out by Unit 1 and Unit 2 teams of the Narcotics Investigation Unit of Central Jakarta Police on Saturday (14/3) evening following a public report regarding the proliferation of hard drug transactions, including tramadol, in the area. He stated that his office is committed to combating illegal hard drug distribution, which can damage society, particularly young people.
Arrests were not limited to Tanah Abang; several were also made in other locations in Central Jakarta over the past weekend. Head of the Narcotics Investigation Unit of Central Jakarta Police AKBP Wisnu S Kuncoro explained that those arrested at different crime scenes had the initials AA (53), DS (37), RA (21), and FA (23).
The suspects were apprehended at four different locations: a convenience shop on Jalan Cempaka Putih Utara, Cempaka Baru Village, Kemayoran District; in front of Tanah Abang Station; and on Jalan Jembatan Tinggi, Kebon Kacang Village, Tanah Abang District, Central Jakarta.
From the suspects’ possession, police seized 1,594 tramadol tablets, 302 heximer tablets, and 218 trihexyphenidyl tablets. Police also secured several mobile phones, cash totalling more than Rp4 million believed to be proceeds from sales, and one electric motorcycle used by the suspects.
The case began with public information regarding the proliferation of hard drug transactions at several points in Central Jakarta. Police are continuing to develop the case to uncover the possibility of other perpetrators. The suspects were selling hard drugs freely without doctor’s prescriptions. “We are still investigating the possibility of other distribution networks,” he said.
The suspects are charged under Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health, specifically regarding the production or distribution of pharmaceutical preparations that do not meet safety, efficacy and quality standards. Penalties can reach 12 years imprisonment or fines up to Rp5 billion.
Convenience shops and mobile phone shops in South Jakarta
Police arrested two hard drug sellers with the initials WA and M in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta. As many as 28,243 hard drug tablets were seized from a convenience shop managed by the suspects following a public report regarding the distribution. “In total, several types of hard drugs were found with a quantity of approximately 28,243 tablets,” said Head of the Narcotics Investigation Unit of South Jakarta Police AKBP Prasetyo Nugroho at a press conference on Sunday (15/3).
The case began with public information regarding a shop selling hard drugs in Jagakarsa District, specifically on Jalan Pepaya Raya, Jagakarsa Village, South Jakarta on Friday (13/3) evening at 21:00 WIB. At the first location, police secured evidence including 37 Mercy brand psychotropic tablets, 100 Trihexyphenidyl 2 mg tablets, 2,380 Hexymer tablets, 60 Tramadol tablets and 500 Tramadol tablets. Also recovered were 18 Double Y tablets, Rp750,000 in cash, one Oppo mobile phone, and one Infinix mobile phone.
“From there we were able to arrest two suspects who appeared to be shop attendants with the initials WA and M. At that location, hard drugs on list G were found, totalling approximately 3,095 tablets,” he said.
Following the arrests, police developed the case further at a boarding house on Jalan Blimbing, Jagakarsa Village, South Jakarta. At the second location, approximately 8,355 Hexymer tablets, 60 Plenozepam tablets, 50 Alprazolam tablets, 70 Alprazolam 1 ml tablets, 16 Herlopam brand tablets and 89 Valium/Diazepam tablets were found. Also recovered were 50 Atarak Alprazolam tablets, 1,578 Double Y tablets, 1,010 Trihexyphenidyl 2 mg tablets and 13,870 Tramadol tablets.
Prasetyo explained that the drugs were being sold illegally and hidden in various shops such as mobile phone outlets and convenience stores. “First there were those selling at mobile phone shops, then at convenience shops, and these shops had drugs hidden within them illegally and secretly,” he said.
According to reports, on Wednesday (11/3), at approximately 21:00 WIB, police raided a mobile phone credit shop located on Jalan Nangka, Tanjung Barat Village, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta. The case began with public information regarding the suspected distribution of hard drugs being sold covertly under the guise of a mobile phone credit sales operation.
Head of Public Relations for Metro Jaya Police, Kombes Budi Hermanto stated that based on the report, the Operational Team Unit 2 Subunit 3 of the Metro Jaya Police Narcotics Directorate conducted an investigation. Officers successfully apprehended a suspect with the initials MI (18) and discovered 454 hard drug tablets.