RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia and Malaysia are intensifying cooperation to curb the growing threat of transnational drug trafficking, as both countries acknowledge their shared responsibility in safeguarding the region.

During a bilateral meeting in Bali, the Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Malaysian Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Narkotik (JSJN) emphasized the need for stronger coordination to combat increasingly complex narcotics networks.

BNN chief Suyudi Ario Seto stressed that drug trafficking is a cross-border crime that requires close international collaboration.

“Strengthening coordination, rapid information exchange, and tighter monitoring at borders, airports, and ports are essential steps in joint efforts,” Suyudi said in a statement on Friday, May 1, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Authorities also raised concerns over evolving trafficking methods, including the emergence of more than 1,400 types of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) worldwide.

One substance drawing attention is etomidate, which has been misused in vape products and was linked to a clandestine laboratory case uncovered in Bali.

The meeting, Suyudi’s first with JSJN director Hussein Omar Khan since both assumed office, took place on the sidelines of the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program (CPDAP). Both sides used the opportunity to deepen cooperation in tackling narcotics crimes that span multiple jurisdictions.

Discussions focused on strengthening joint efforts in network tracking (back tracking), financial investigations (financial tracking), and the use of Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) to seize assets linked to cross-border drug crimes.

Indonesia and Malaysia also agreed to establish more responsive and sustained communication channels to ensure faster and more effective law enforcement actions against drug trafficking networks in the region. ***