Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Chief, Police Commissioner General Marthinus Hukom, revealed that Indonesia has over 900 “drug villages,” where drug trafficking and usage are deeply embedded in local communities. This information was revealed during a press conference on drug case disclosures at the National Police Headquarters in Jakarta on Friday, November 1.
“These villages identified by the BNN number over 900, and we’re focusing our efforts there,” Hukom said.
Hukom explained that these drug-dense areas have emerged primarily due to underlying socio-economic issues. Drug dealers exploit these conditions, establishing a grip on local residents who in turn, become dependent on them for survival.
He described a “patron-client” relationship between drug dealers and community members, with dealers acting as patrons, while the residents become clients who follow their instructions. “There’s a symbiotic relationship here; both parties gain something,” Hukom explained. Additionally, he noted a core-periphery dynamic where dealers form the “core,” with residents acting as a protective “shell.”
“It’s not unusual to see the police or BNN face resistance when entering these areas,” he added.
The BNN is currently taking steps to dismantle these networks by targeting prominent drug dealers controlling these communities. These efforts include social, economic, and psychological interventions, as well as rehabilitation programs for users.
100-Day Elimination Target
Police Commissioner General Wahyu Widada, head of the Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim), has set a 100-day goal to eliminate drug villages across the country. Widada stated that this initiative aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s Asta Cita program, aimed at eradicating drug-related crimes.
“We’ve mapped out these areas. Technically, we’ll implement this plan within 100 days in collaboration with other agencies,” Widada stated at the press conference.
In addition to drug villages, Widada said the police have identified international drug trafficking routes into Indonesia via sea, air, and land. Shutting down these routes—especially maritime ones—poses challenges, but Widada emphasized ongoing collaboration with customs officials and the Water and Air Police unit for stricter surveillance and enforcement.
Widada has instructed regional police forces in border areas to intensify their monitoring of drug trafficking networks, prioritizing comprehensive investigations that dismantle entire networks rather than focusing solely on arrest numbers. “Our target is to uncover the entire network. Capturing one individual without addressing the network’s structure won’t resolve the issue,” he remarked.
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Previously, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo directed police at all levels to combat drug trafficking across Indonesia. The directive, following President Prabowo’s instructions at a retreat at the Military Academy, urges the complete shutdown of international drug smuggling routes and the elimination of drug-dense villages across all provinces. Additionally, Sigit emphasized action against inmates who control narcotics distribution from within correctional facilities.
“Map out the smuggling routes that have caused substantial capital outflows,” Sigit said in a written statement on Tuesday.
The Indonesian government’s intensified efforts signal a decisive crackdown on drug-related crime, aiming not only to dismantle distribution networks but also to address the root causes that fuel drug dependency in vulnerable communities
(Raidi/Agung)
