BNN Says Drug Circulation In Indonesia Is Still Dominated By Methamphetamine And Marijuana

Illustration of methamphetamine (ANTARA) drugs

JAKARTA - The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) of the Republic of Indonesia said that the illicit narcotics trade in Indonesia is currently still dominated by methamphetamine and marijuana.

Deputy for Legal and Cooperation of the Indonesian National Narcotics Agency, Inspector General of Police Agus Irianto, said that most of the narcotics circulating in Indonesia were shipments from abroad.

"Most of the narcotics circulating in Indonesia are shipments from abroad, mainly from the Golden Triangle area," said Inspector General of Police Agus, quoted by ANTARA Monday, June 16.

Golden Triangle or Golden Triangle is a northern region in Southeast Asia covering Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand, which is one of the largest opium-producing regions in the world.

Based on data from BNN RI, the eastern coastal areas of Sumatra and the western and northern waters of Kalimantan are points prone to narcotics smuggling to the country.

However, Agus emphasized that his party already has a number of strategic policies in facing these challenges, including through strengthening intelligence, monitoring in coastal and border areas, increasing cooperation and collaboration across countries, and others.

Meanwhile, the Indian delegation led by India's Director General NCB Anurag Garg revealed the significant challenges his country is facing in fighting narcotics crimes.

India, which is located between two areas prone to drugs in the world, namely Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent, he said, faces a number of challenges such as an increase in the number of clinical laboratories or narcotics dark laboratories and the production of synthetic narcotics, smuggling of cocaine and hydroponic marijuana, as well as the use of drones to smuggle drugs along the Indian-Pakistan border.

The forum was held to strengthen the cooperation between BNN RI and NCB India in efforts to eradicate narcotics. The meeting is an annual agenda that has entered its 7th year since it was first held by the two of them.

In this strategic forum, BNN RI and NCB India exchanged the latest information related to the dynamics of illicit narcotics trafficking, the modus operandi of smuggling, the existence of illegal narcotics laboratories, international narcotics syndicate networks, and the involvement of their respective citizens in drug smuggling cases.

After conducting discussions, the meeting resulted in several recommendations as a follow-up step for future cooperation.

These recommendations include exchanging the best practice information and cutting-edge technology in preventing drug trafficking at sea and coastal areas as well as sharing up-to-date information regarding the involvement of the two citizens in drug networks.

Then, exchange of information in the identification and classification of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), sharing information about mechanisms and technology for disclosing narcotics shipments at ports, and organizing training programs for members of the Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN RI) by NCB India at the agreed time.