Courier 56 Kg of Marijuana Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison at Medan PN

ANTARA/Aris Rinaldi Nasution.

MEDAN - A panel of judges at the Medan District Court (PN) in North Sumatra sentenced the defendant Hendra Gunawan (38) to 20 years in prison as a courier weighing 56.13 kilograms of marijuana.

The Head of the Panel of Judges, Eliyurita at the Medan District Court, said the defendant was proven to be legally and convincingly guilty of violating Article 114 paragraph (2) of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code in conjunction with Law Number 1 of 2026 concerning Criminal Adjustment.

"To judge and sentence the defendant Hendra Gunawan to 20 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion, subsider 190 days in prison," he said when reading the verdict, reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, July 29.

The panel of judges considered the aggravating factor, namely the defendant's actions disturbed the community and had the potential to damage the nation's generation. Meanwhile, the mitigating factor, the defendant is the backbone of the family.

Based on the verdict, the defendant and the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Belawan District Attorney's Office, Nurliza Fitriyani Br. Angkat, appealed the verdict.

The verdict is lighter than the prosecutor's request, which previously asked the panel of judges to sentence the defendant to life imprisonment.

JPU Nurliza in the indictment letter stated that the defendant was arrested by personnel from the North Sumatra Regional Police Narcotics Investigation Directorate on Jalan Seser, Medan Tembung District, Medan City, on September 23, 2025.

From the results of the development, the police found evidence of 56.13 kilograms of marijuana stored at the house of a person named Paisalyang is now on the wanted list (DPO).

Based on the defendant's statement, the marijuana was picked up from the area of East Penyabungan District, Mandailing Natal Regency, and the plan was to hand it over to a recipient named Fuhruzen who was also a DPO.

"The defendant admitted that he was promised a wage of Rp. 700 thousand per kilogram if he succeeded in delivering the marijuana," said JPU Nurliza.