"This is a shared task. It requires cross-sectoral cooperation," he told the press in Jakarta on Tuesday, responding to a report from the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) regarding the rising involvement of women in drug networks.
He assessed that prevention measures must be strengthened, including in families, the school environment, and the broader community, accompanied by law enforcement.
On a separate occasion, Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister, Arifah Fauzi, voiced concern that women or housewives are being targeted by drug syndicates to act as couriers.
"With the lure of large incomes, these syndicates deceive women they believe can trick authorities," she remarked in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Earlier, on Monday in Jakarta, BNN Head Martinus Hukom revealed that drug syndicates have increasingly targeted women, including housewives, to serve as couriers or operators of drug distribution.
Related news: 2 women arrested for transporting drugs from Laos to Vietnam
BNN data showed that from April to June 2025, among 285 suspects arrested, 29—or about 20 percent—were women.
Hukom explained that women’s involvement often begins with courier roles, which syndicates perceive as low risk due to reduced suspicion from authorities.
Over time, women may advance to strategic positions within networks, such as recruiters, distribution coordinators, or treasurers.
"The development of drug syndicates' modus operandi that exploit Indonesian women and housewives must be a serious concern," he emphasized.
Related news: Customs nab eight drug mules smuggling meth into Makassar
Translator: M Riezko, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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