Indonesia Seizes 3.37 Tons of Cannabinoid Buds in International Drug Bust

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian authorities have dismantled an international drug trafficking network by seizing 3.37 tons of cannabinoid flower buds smuggled from Thailand, preventing the narcotics from entering the domestic market and strengthening the country's fight against transnational organized crime.

The National Narcotics Agency (BNN), working with the Directorate General of Customs and Excise and the Indonesian National Police, arrested 12 suspects, including one foreign national, during the operation.

BNN Chief Commissioner General Suyudi Ario Seto said the suspects played different roles within the trafficking network. A warehouse in Gresik, East Java, was used to store the shipment before distribution.

"We arrested 12 suspects, each with different roles in the network. One of them is a foreign national, while the warehouse in Gresik was used to store the goods before they were distributed," Suyudi said at a press conference in Gresik on Thursday, July 2, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The investigation also led authorities to operations in Purwakarta, West Java, and Jakarta as part of efforts to dismantle the international syndicate.

Authorities seized 3,371,400 grams (3.37 tons) of cannabinoid flower buds that had been smuggled into Indonesia using import documents disguised as latex products. Preliminary investigations indicate that the network was allegedly directed by a Malaysian national identified as CKF alias L and a Chinese national identified as ZI alias J,

BNN Deputy for Eradication Inspector General Aswin Sipayung said investigators found that the cannabinoid buds were intended to be processed into liquid for electronic cigarettes, or vapes, before being distributed in Indonesia.

According to Aswin, the case reflects an evolving smuggling strategy by international drug syndicates, which increasingly exploit international trade and customs channels to traffic narcotics into the country. ***