Bali Authorities Arrest Three International Dealers After Seizing Nearly 1kg

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The Bali Provincial National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) have arrested and charged three men in connection with 900g of cocaine that they were set to distribute across the island. The men’s identities have not been released publicly as an investigation is underway.

Authorities have confirmed that the three men entered Bali on tourist visas and are believed to be part of a much bigger drug smuggling syndicate operated from Europe. The three men arrested are said to be from Brazil and are being held at the Bali BNNP Office in Denpasar.

Cocaine and other Class A drugs are a serious concern for Bali authorities. The Head of the Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Komjen Pol Petrus Reinhard Golose launched his ‘Smash on Drugs’ campaign in June 2022.

At the campaign launch event, he announced that ‘I declare that Bali is not only the Island of Gods, and the Island of Tolerance, but we declare that Bali is the Island of Zero Tolerance of Drug Abuse…I warn drug dealers that there is zero tolerance for them if they wish to expand their business in Bali’.

The Head of BNNP Bali, Brigadier General Gde Sugianyar Dwi Putra explained to reporters that the BNNP and the Customs and Immigration departments in Bali have been working closely together regarding the three arrestees and the European syndicate.

Little more has been shared publicly about the case at this point. He said that ‘It’s still in the process. The three suspects were arrested at three crime scenes, namely in Denpasar and Badung. Evidence of 900 grams of cocaine is [just the] leftovers. We will announce the progress later’.

Brigadier Putra shared his insights on the seized narcotics and said that the cocaine was intended to be sold on the streets of Bali to other foreigners and Indonesian citizens for a high price. ‘In Bali, the average price of methamphetamine per gram is less than Rp. 2,000,000, (USD 134) while cocaine can be Rp. 4,000,000 to Rp. 5,000,000 per gram (USD 268-336)’.

General Golose joined the press conference with Brigadier Putra. Goose has recently been to South America to connect with authorities and learn more about how they are approaching and implementing tougher measures for a drug crime.

He told local reporters ‘I just got back from South America. In Panama, authorities seized 134 tons of cocaine. In Colombia 1,200 tons of cocaine. In Ecuador, the authorities confiscated 120 tonnes of cocaine. In Argentina, the authorities confiscated 70 tons of cocaine. An Indonesian citizen was arrested in South America for possession of 10 kg of cocaine, but he was only deported because there was so much cocaine there”

General Golose reaffirmed his commitment to stamping out drug crime in Bali. It is his pledge to keep young people in particular away from the influences of drugs to help keep the island’s streets safe.

He said ‘How lucrative the cocaine business is. So we have to work seriously. I have instructed all ranks to pay attention to the circulation of cocaine. Let’s together protect the island of Bali that we love from drug trafficking. We must be able to prevent this’.

There has been a series of high-profile drug busts in Bali in the last few months. On the 3rd of July, a Brazilian student was arrested for carrying marijuana into Indonesia after his trip to Thailand where the drug has recently been legalized for recreational use. 

The Indonesian Narcotics Agency, the BNN, launched an investigation with Interpol in June to search for a fugitive drug Kingpin thought to be responsible for the import of 35kg of crystal methamphetamine in addition to 2.6kg of marijuana, 32kg of cocaine, and nearly 800 ecstasy pills.

Three Indonesian men were arrested at a drug house and when under questioning shared that they are working for ‘A’. The Australian fugitive is believed to still be on the run from authorities and the three Indonesian men were arrested and charged with offences related to selling and supplying drugs.