“We are expanding our investigation to arrest the main controller of the network,” Asahan Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Revi Nurvelani said in a statement.
The investigation followed the arrest of two men, identified only as DGM, 37, and WR, 30, who were caught transporting the drugs from Silo Baru village toward Kisaran on Nov. 9.
During a raid in Bangun Sari Village, Silo Laut Subdistrict, officers seized four black bags containing 76 kilograms of meth.
Revi said the suspects told investigators they received the shipment from a man identified as D, also known as B, and were promised 3 million rupiah (US$190) per kilogram for delivering the drugs to Palembang, South Sumatra.
“One suspect also admitted to having successfully transported 38 kilograms of meth to Palembang on October 26 with the same accomplice,” Revi said.
Following the arrests, Asahan Police coordinated with the North Sumatra Police Narcotics Directorate to track down the broader distribution network.
Revi noted that the latest bust was part of ongoing efforts to curb narcotics trafficking through the province, which serves as a key transit route for drugs smuggled from neighboring countries into Indonesia.
Authorities have increased surveillance in coastal and border areas of North Sumatra, where syndicates are believed to use fishing boats and small vessels to transport large quantities of meth.
Police have not disclosed further details about the suspect identified as D, citing the ongoing investigation.
Indonesia enforces some of the world’s toughest drug laws, with major traffickers facing life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Despite these strict penalties, the country remains a lucrative market for drug syndicates, driven by its large population and millions of users.
The nation’s drug trade is valued at an estimated 66 trillion rupiah (US$4.3 billion), according to the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).
A BNN survey estimates that 3.4 million Indonesians use drugs—roughly 180 out of every 10,000 people aged 15 to 64.
North Sumatra ranks as the third most vulnerable province for drug-related crimes, with about 3.06 percent of its population using narcotics, BNN data show.
On Sept. 4, 2025, the Medan District Court sentenced M. Alfarisi, 36, to death for acting as a courier in the trafficking of nearly 4,833 ecstasy pills.
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Translator: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: M Razi Rahman
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
