The National Police Reveals a Drug Network Allegedly Used by DWP 2025

DWP in Bali (Instagram @djakartawarehouseproject)

JAKARTA - The Narcotics Crime Directorate of the National Police's Criminal Investigation Unit has thwarted an attempt to distribute drugs that is suspected of taking advantage of the implementation of the Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) 2025 in Bali.

This operation is not only measured by the number of evidence or the number of suspects who are secured. More than that, this step marks a fundamental change in the way the National Police acts (CB) in securing national and international events that have the potential to be infiltrated by drug networks.

The Directorate of Narcotics Crime of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police deliberately took action a few days before the festival began, not during the event or within the concert area.

"We need to underline, this action was carried out a few days before the DWP began and was not carried out at the location during the event," said Director of Narcotics Crime Bareskrim Polri Brigadier General Eko Hadi Santoso to the media at Bareskrim Polri, Monday, December 2025.

According to Eko, this step was taken as part of a thorough evaluation of the security of the DWP in the previous year, which was considered to have created a negative perception of Indonesia and law enforcement institutions.

"Of course this is an important lesson. Last year we saw that the handling of the DWP event was considered less optimal, so it had a counterproductive effect on the National Police," he said.

He emphasized that in the future, a preventive approach is the key to securing international-scale events.

"This is a change in our way of acting, so that the security of large events is not reactive, but preventive," said Eko.

DWP itself is the largest electronic music festival in Southeast Asia attended by visitors from across the country with a high level of mobility. In this context, the National Police assesses that the threat of drug trafficking not only targets the concert area, but also the surrounding ecosystem - from the entry route to Indonesia, the local distribution network, accommodation, to the visitor community.

Eko said that if drug circulation is allowed to occur and spread during the event, the impact will not only be on law enforcement aspects, but also on Indonesia's image in the eyes of global promoters, international tourists, and the tourism industry.

"This is not just about law enforcement, but how the state is present to protect Indonesia's reputation as the host of international events," he said.

In the period from December 9-14, 2025, the Narcotics Crime Directorate of the National Police Criminal Investigation Unit together with the Bali Nusra Customs Office and the Soekarno-Hatta Customs KPU thwarted a number of drug trafficking attempts that were suspected of being distributed during the DWP. The development of the case continued until December 18, 2025 to dismantle the cross-provincial and cross-country network.

As a result, the police managed to uncover six drug syndicates, securing 17 suspects, and naming seven others on the wanted list (DPO). Of the total suspects, one is a foreign citizen from Peru.

"We have secured six syndicates with a total of 17 suspects, and seven others are still DPO status," explained Eko.

The seized evidence includes various types of narcotics with an estimated black market value of IDR 60.5 billion. Among them are 31 kilograms of methamphetamine, 956.5 ecstasy pills, more than one kilogram of ketamine, as well as cocaine, MDMA, marijuana, and happy water.

"The suspects are charged with Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics, with the threat of heavy punishment according to their respective roles," he added.

The National Police emphasized that music festivals such as DWP are not the source of the problem. However, it is often used as a momentum by the drug network because of the high mobility, anonymity of visitors, and the speed of transactions.

Through early enforcement strategies, the police ensure that the drug network does not have room to take advantage of the momentum of major events, while breaking the stigma that music festivals are synonymous with the circulation of narcotics.

"This is not a momentary operation. This is a new standard of how we secure major events so that they are not used by the drug network," concluded Eko.