RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) expand their strategic collaboration. This cooperation focuses on research and the utilization of technology to face the increasingly complex dynamics of narcotics threats.

As quoted by bnn.go.id, the commitment was highlighted during a meeting between Head of BNN, Suyudi Ario Seto, and the Head of BRIN, Arif Satria at the BJ Habibie Building in Jakarta, Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

During the meeting, both institutional leaders discussed expanding cross-sector research cooperation, covering areas such as health, electronics, and informatics. The Head of BRIN, Arif Satria, expressed the institution’s readiness to support BNN’s duties through the use of its research infrastructure and resources.

“We are ready to support BNN through more specific technical studies, including monitoring compound content in plants and developing early detection instruments for new narcotic substances,” Arif Satria said.

Moreover, he conveyed that BRIN has advanced research facilities and equipment in Southeast Asia, which can be optimized to speed up the identification and analysis of narcotic compounds more accurately and efficiently.

One of the main focuses of this collaboration is, fostering national health resilience, particularly in reducing dependence on imported pharmaceutical raw materials. Indonesia is known to have vast biodiversity potential, with more than 31,000 plant species that could be developed as sources of pharmaceutical raw materials.

However, utilizing the potential requires strict supervision to prevent misuse, particularly plants containing narcotic compounds. Therefore, comprehensive and well-measured research is key to ensuring that their use remains within the scope of medical and scientific interests.

Meanwhile, the Head of BNN, Suyudi Ario Seto, underscored that this collaboration is a pivotal momentum to speed up research synergy, particularly in responding to the emergence of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), which continue to evolve.

“The development of new narcotic substances is very rapid. Globally, more than 1,300 types of NPS have been identified, while in Indonesia alone, 115 types have been indicated,” he conveyed.

Through this collaboration between the two state institutions, it is hoped that the certification process for local raw materials for medical needs and the domestic industry can be optimized, with oversight from BNN, BRIN, and the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM). This synergy is also expected to ensure safety, quality, and benefits for the wider community.