"The suspect, identified by the initials BC, has been formally charged and placed in detention," the North Lombok Police Narcotics Chief, Adjunct Commissioner I Nyoman Diana Mahardika, said on Wednesday.
The investigation began in late May 2026, when cyber units flagged a suspicious postal shipment sent from Australia via the state courier service, PT Pos Indonesia, bound for the popular tourist hotspot of Gili Trawangan.
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Tracking the package, investigators discovered the delivery destination had been rerouted to a residential estate in the neighboring sub-district of Batulayar, West Lombok District, where the Australian national resided. Police then executed a controlled delivery, shadowing the postal courier to the property.
"The items were not sent directly to Gili Trawangan, but were shifted to a residence occupied by BC. We opened the package in front of local witnesses," Mahardika added.
In the package, police officers uncovered five boxes of vape liquid across two different brands, with packaging explicitly detailing cannabis-derived cannabidiol (CBD) ingredients. A subsequent search of the property yielded two empty boxes of the same brand and the suspect's personal vaping device.
"The suspect admitted that the contents of the empty boxes had already been consumed," Mahardika said.
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Under Indonesia's strict Narcotics Act (Law No. 35/2009) and its newly updated Criminal Code, cannabis derivatives—including vape liquids, oils, and edibles—are classified as Category I illicit substances.
Possession or consumption of those products carries severe penalties, regardless of whether they were legally purchased overseas.
Local authorities confirmed the investigation is ongoing and the suspect will remain in custody at the North Lombok police headquarters ahead of formal prosecution.
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Translator: Dhimas Budi Pratama, Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Fransiska Ninditya
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