TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police confiscated a total of 8,600 milliliters of liquid etomidate between February and May 2026. The thousands of milliliters of the Class II narcotic were uncovered across three separate drug trafficking cases linked to an international syndicate. Law enforcement officials estimate that the seized evidence could be processed into nearly 14,000 drug-laced vape cartridges.
Out of the three cases, the police arrested four suspects who are all foreign nationals. They have been identified as TN from Singapore, CT from Malaysia, JZ from China, and SP from Thailand.
"The police arrested four foreign nationals and confiscated a total of 8,600 milliliters of liquid etomidate with an estimated economic value of around Rp97.8 billion," Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police Chief Commissioner Wisnu Wardana stated in a written brief on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
He emphasized that these major busts demonstrate how Soekarno-Hatta Airport remains a primary transit hub for global drug cartels looking to smuggle etomidate into Indonesia. According to Wisnu's calculations, intercepting these three shipments has potentially saved approximately 55,928 lives from the perils of substance abuse.
Wisnu noted that the police will continue to tighten surveillance measures in coordination with relevant border control agencies. The collaborative crackdown aims to effectively block international drug syndicates from exploiting commercial aviation routes.
"We urge the public and all airport service users to report any information regarding illicit drug circulation so that immediate action can be taken," Wisnu concluded.
Read: Indonesia's BNN Warns Vape Devices Could Be Used for Drug Abuse
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