"In 2022, BNN succeeded in uncovering 23 international networks, 26 national networks, and two 'clandestine laboratory' networks," BNN head Petrus Reinhard Golose informed at the commemoration of the agency’s 21st anniversary here on Wednesday.
In the period from 2022 to March 19, 2023, the agency seized 2.4 tons of methamphetamine, 1.9 tons of dried cannabis, 262,983 ecstasy pills, and 184.1 tons of undried cannabis as evidence, and identified 79.4 hectares of cannabis farms, he expounded.
The process of handling narcotics cases also involved investigating where the money went, Golose said.
"Efforts to handle narcotics crimes are carried out with efforts to handle money laundering crimes," he added.
According to the BNN head, the modes of narcotics crimes will continue to develop. Thus, to tackle them, the BNN will establish cooperation with all law enforcement agencies, both national and international.
He said that one of the forms of successful cooperation was uncovering an international narcotics network involving 8 Iranian citizens along with 319 kilograms of methamphetamine on February 23, 2023.
He informed that in carrying out its task of eradicating all forms of drug abuse, the BNN is using a soft approach, such as strengthening the resilience of families and youth and promoting anti-narcotics in schools.
The combination of actions and the soft approach has helped the BNN succeed in reducing the number of narcotics-prone areas across Indonesia from 8,691 to 8,002, he said.
In 2023, the BNN is focusing on three things: first, preventing and eradicating illicit narcotics trafficking. Second, bolstering the prevention of the use of narcotics and rehabilitation. Third, strengthening the acceleration of the "clean from narcotics" program.
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Translator: Fianda Sjofjan, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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