Narcotics Flood Indonesia

The amount of smuggled drugs that have been confiscated is significantly less than the drugs that have made it into circulation. Cross-agency cooperation is necessary to tackle drug networks.

Kompas/Wisnu Aji Dewabrata

A National Narcotics Agency (BNN) official arranges banknotes, evidence of alleged money laundering committed by drug dealers, at the BNN office in Cawang, East Jakarta, on Wednesday (28/2). Security personnel have arrested three suspects in the case, which centers around alleged drug deals made between 2014 and 2016 worth up to Rp 6.4 trillion (US$465.28).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The recent confiscation of 1.03 tons and 1.6 tons of crystal meth in the Riau Islands in February shocked many. The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) estimated that this was only 10 percent of what had been smuggled. Furthermore, 71 other types of narcotics were believed to be distributed widely in Indonesia.

Former BNN chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso said on numerous occasions that hundreds of tons of methamphetamine were smuggled into Indonesia every year. In 2016 alone, he estimated that 250 tons of the illegal substance was smuggled into the country.