The investigation, which spanned thousands of miles across the Indonesian archipelago, revealed how an inmate managed to coordinate the distribution of narcotics to remote regions, including the island of Sumba.
The breakthrough came following the arrest of a suspect, identified only by the initial "A," in Southwest Sumba, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
During the operation outside a local courier office, officers seized 529 grams of marijuana.
Following a deeper probe, investigators traced the logistics of the shipment back to an inmate in a high-security facility over 3,000 kilometers away.
“The investigation identified another suspect, MAP, an inmate at the Tanjung Gusta Class I Prison in Medan who has been incarcerated since 2022,” Head of BNNP NTT Brigadier General Yulianus Yulianto said.
“MAP is suspected of controlling narcotics distribution from within the prison to various regions across Indonesia, including NTT, specifically in Sumba.”
Authorities emphasized that the bust was made possible through intensive collaboration between narcotics agents and correctional officials.
MAP was removed from the Medan prison in late April 2026 to be transported to Sumba, where he will face new charges.
On April 30, the suspect and the evidence were formally handed over to the Sumba Barat District Attorney's Office.
"This is the final stage of the investigation before we proceed to prosecution,” stated Head of Enforcement and Intelligence at BNNP NTT KBP Sonny W. Siregar.
“We have handed the case over to the Sumba Barat District Attorney to continue the legal process in accordance with applicable procedures.”
The narcotics agency has pledged to increase surveillance across NTT, a region that is increasingly being targeted by drug syndicates.
According to a 2025 survey by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), several areas in NTT—including East Sumba, the tourist hub of Labuan Bajo—have been flagged as high-risk zones for drug trafficking.
Siregar added that the successful operation was heavily supported by the cooperative stance of the Tanjung Gusta prison authorities, signaling a crackdown on inmates who continue to run criminal enterprises from their cells.
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Translator: Yoseph Boli Bataona, Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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