Uncover a Global Network of Illegal Drug Factories in Jaksel Apartment, This is What BNN Says

JAKARTA - An apartment in Sudirman Tower Condominium, South Jakarta, turned out to be an international network of clandestine laboratories (dark factories) of narcotics. The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) of the Republic of Indonesia together with the Directorate General of Customs and Excise of the Ministry of Finance dismantled the existence of the factory, Friday (16/1).

The Deputy Director of Psychotropic and Precursors of the BNN RI Anti-Narcotics Division, Aldrin Hutabarat, said that the black factory produced a narcotic type II etomidate containing vape liquid.

"The disclosure began on Thursday (15/1), at around 16.20 WIB, with a joint team conducting an investigation and development based on information from the public. As a result, two foreign nationals (WNA) with initials TK and MK were secured," said Aldrin, quoted from ANTARA, Saturday.

The perpetrators were charged with Article 119 paragraph (2) of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics in conjunction with Article VII paragraph 55 of Law Number 1 of 2026 concerning Criminal Adjustment, Jo. Article 132 paragraph (1) of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics and sub-articles as provided for in the latest Criminal Code.

In the rules, the perpetrators are threatened with the death penalty, life imprisonment, or a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Through the disclosure of the case, BNN emphasized its commitment to continue to strengthen cross-sectoral synergy in breaking the chain of illicit trafficking in narcotics, especially international networks that use new modes such as vape liquids.

Therefore, Aldrin appealed to the public to continue to report information about the circulation of narcotics to the official BNN 184 telephone service or to the authorities, so that preventive and punitive actions can be taken.

He said that initially the BNN Joint Team, consisting of the Directorate of Interdiction, the Directorate of Psychotropic and Precursors, the Directorate of Intelligence, and the Directorate of Enforcement and Pursuit, collaborated with Customs to investigate alleged international drug trafficking in the DKI Jakarta region.

Furthermore, the results of the observation of the BNN Joint Team and Soekarno-Hatta Airport Customs suspected a foreign national who carried one suitcase and a backpack containing 3,000 empty vape cartridges (tanks) to an apartment.

Based on TK's confession, he was ordered by someone with the initials AD and equipped with Rp6.39 million in operational funds for the trip to Indonesia. TK and MK mixed etomidate liquid to be put into the vape cartridge.

At the crime scene, one large bottle containing a liquid suspected of being etomidate was found, which was stored under a sink cabinet.

A clear liquid containing the narcotic drug of class II, etomidate, was put into a six-liter glass bottle labeled Baron Philippe de Rothschild Mouton containing 4,919.5 milliliters.

For non-narcotic evidence, 3,000 cartridge tanks of e-cigarettes, 3,000 cartridge covers, one bottle of black plastic drops, one plastic funnel, and cash suspected to be for operations were secured.

Cash belonging to TK amounted to Rp6.39 million and 371 Malaysian ringgit, while cash belonging to MK amounted to Rp3.54 million.

In addition, the Joint Team also seized one suitcase, three mobile phones, two flight tickets, and one sheet of proof of apartment unit rental ordered through an online application.