Indonesia steps up drug crackdown after multi‑ton cannabis seizure and partners with Russia

Indonesia's House Commission III member Bimantoro Wiyono urged a thorough nationwide drug eradication effort after the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) seized about 3.37 tonnes of cannabis buds, believed to have originated from Thailand. He said the operation prevented potential abuse by roughly 10 million people and avoided an estimated economic loss of Rp4.58 trillion, and called for expanded investigations to uncover the full supply chain, including domestic and foreign actors.

In a related move, Indonesia and Russia signed a bilateral cooperation agreement for 2026‑2027 to strengthen cross‑border drug enforcement, focusing on Bali’s drug‑hotspot areas. BNN Commissioner General Suyudi Ario Seto said the partnership will enable real‑time intelligence sharing, digital‑forensics capacity building, and tracking of cryptocurrency used by drug syndicates. The deal follows a previous raid on a clandestine mephedrone laboratory in Bali involving Russian nationals, and includes joint training and technology exchanges.

Both initiatives aim to disrupt international drug networks, protect public health—especially in tourist destinations—and reinforce legal penalties for foreign nationals involved in trafficking.