Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - The island of Bali will show zero tolerance to drug dealers, Chief of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Petrus Reinhard Golose has said.

"BNN does not condone using narcotics in any tourism area," Golose stressed here on Friday.

He said that Bali, which is among the popular global tourist spots, must not become a paradise for drug dealers to transact prohibited goods in Indonesia.

The BNN will work optimally to crack down on illegal drug dealers, he added.

"Bali is a tourism area, not a 'narcotism' area," he continued.

He said he aims to convey this message to the world and the Indonesian people in various ways, including through the recent destruction of 124.54 kilograms of seized drugs in Denpasar, Bali.

"Not only do we welcome World Drug Day, but we ask drug dealers not to play around on this island," he added.

He said that he was concerned about the level of drug uses involving the Balinese residents.

BNN data pegs the number of Balinese people jailed in connection with illegal drug-related cases at 591.

Although that figure is lower than the number of non-Balinese people sentenced to jail at 717, he said the figure was high because it was recorded between 2022 to mid-2023.

The suppliers of methamphetamine and marijuana, especially from the "Golden Triangle" network are responsible for the high circulation of illegal drugs in Bali, he informed.

Therefore, he asked all BNN ranks and related stakeholders to work together to break up drug dealer networks.

According to him, Bali has the potential to become the final destination of international narcotics trafficking networks, even those entering other regions of Indonesia.

"We can say these drug crimes are transnational crimes," Golose said.

Indonesia is currently dealing with the circulation of new psychoactive substances (NPS), he added.

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Translator: Rolandus N, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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