Indonesia intensifies anti‑drug crackdown ahead of International Day

On 23 July 2026, Indonesia marked the International Day Against Drugs (HANI) with a series of large‑scale drug‑seizure operations. The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) destroyed 3.37 tonnes of illicit substances – including 8.87 kg methamphetamine, 3 tonnes of Thai‑origin cannabis buds and several litres of precursor chemicals – after investigations across the archipelago. President Prabowo Subianto pledged a comprehensive strengthening of BNN, citing the country’s strategic location on two continents and the need for upgraded legal frameworks, technology, and funding.

Across the previous two years, BNN reported seizing more than 12.3 tonnes of narcotics, arresting 1,259 suspects and freezing assets worth roughly IDR 16.5 trillion. Individual operations highlighted local incidents: a three‑time repeat offender was caught with 0.66 g of methamphetamine in Ambon; police in Riau seized 4 kg of meth, 48 k ecstasy pills and other contraband from a warehouse; two dealers in Surabaya hid 0.274 g of meth inside a light‑bulb; and a 9.85 g packet was intercepted in a visitor’s underwear at Jakarta’s Salemba detention centre. These actions illustrate a coordinated national effort to curb drug trafficking and consumption.