Action Desperately At Palu Airport: Police Unload 3 Kg Of Methamphetamine Smuggling Efforts

Central Sulawesi Police secured a number of evidences in the operation to thwart drug smuggling at Palu Airport, Thursday (9/10/2025). ANTARA/HO-Polda Central Sulawesi

PALU - Directorate of Drug Investigation of the Central Sulawesi Regional Police thwarted an attempt to smuggle three kilograms of crystal methamphetamine at Mutiara Sis Al-Jufri Airport, Palu City, this morning.

Director of Narcotics Research at the Central Sulawesi Police, Kombes Pribadi Sembiring, said three perpetrators were arrested in the operation.

The three are HE (24), a resident of Mojokerto, East Java; YF (24), a resident of Gumbusa, Sigi Regency and MN (38), a resident of Kamonji Village, West Palu, Palu City.

"The operation was led by the Head of Sub-Directorate I of the Narcotics Directorate of the Central Sulawesi Police, Adjunct Commissioner of the Rijal Police together with Panit II Ipda Asgar," said Pribadi in Palu, Antara, Thursday, October 9.

He explained, at around 06.30 WITA, the police conducted an inspection in the airport area and found three large packages of methamphetamine contained in HE's black bag.

"From the results of the search, three large packages of methamphetamine were found with a gross weight of about three kilograms," he said.

Apart from methamphetamine, the police confiscated a number of other evidences in the form of several cell phones and a black bag used to store narcotics.

The three perpetrators are now being held at the Narcotics Directorate of the Central Sulawesi Police to undergo further investigation to reveal their respective roles in the drug trafficking network.

"We are still exploring this network, including the origin of methamphetamine and its distribution plans. What is clear is that this item comes from outside Central Sulawesi," said Pribadi.

The perpetrators were charged with Article 112 paragraph (2) and Article 114 paragraph (2) of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics, with the maximum threat of life imprisonment or the death penalty.