TEMPO.CO, Gianyar - The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has successfully dismantled a clandestine drug manufacturing operation in Gianyar, Bali. The factory, located in a villa on Jalan Keliki Kawan, Payangan, is suspected of being part of an international drug ring producing various illicit substances.

Brigadier General Sulistyo Pudjo Hartono, Head of the BNN Public Relations and Protocol Bureau, revealed details of the operation conducted on July 18, 2024. The raid encompassed not only the factory itself but also several residences believed to be connected to the operation. Authorities confiscated a significant amount of illegal drugs in various forms, including liquids, powders, and solids.

“We apprehended several suspects during the operation, including a Filipino national named Diego Alehandro and several Indonesian citizens who acted as operators [within the network],” Pudjo said in an interview in Denpasar on July 22.

Pudjo believed the factory was part of a larger, international network. Pudjo confirmed they have identified several foreign nationals potentially involved, including a Jordanian citizen with the initials AMI suspected to be the ringleader. AMI was reportedly absent during the raid.

The investigation originated with a BNN cyber patrol that uncovered online DMT (dimethyltryptamine) drug transactions. Following extensive investigations, the BNN obtained information regarding the factory's location in Gianyar.

“Aside from DMT, we found a variety of other narcotics during the raid, including Fentanyl," Pudjo elaborated. Class I narcotics include drugs with the highest potential for abuse and addiction.

Although the exact duration of the factory's operation remains unclear, the BNN suspected that it had been functioning for a significant period. The investigation is ongoing, with BNN officers dedicated to dismantling this new international drug network within Indonesia.

In a separate interview with Tempo several weeks ago, Pudjo highlighted the growing presence of international drug networks in Indonesia. He attributed this trend to the substantial number of drug users in the country, estimated at approximately 3.3 million people. The BNN and the police have intensified efforts to locate and dismantle clandestine drug laboratories and factories operated by these networks.

MAHA DWIJA SANTYA

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