Indonesia’s Criminal Investigation Agency, known as Bareskrim Polri, has named a foreign national from Peru as a suspect in a narcotics distribution case uncovered ahead of the Djakarta Warehouse Project 2025 festival in Bali. The suspect is identified by the initials MA and is alleged to be part of a broader drug trafficking network operating across multiple regions and involving international links.
Identification of the Suspect
According to Bareskrim Polri, MA is a Peruvian citizen who has been formally designated as a suspect in connection with one of the drug syndicates dismantled during the operation. Authorities stated that MA was associated with Syndicate 4 and suspected of acting as a supplier within the network.
“The Supreme Court, this is a foreign citizen of a Peruvian citizen, acting as a provider of goods,” said the Director of Drug Crimes Criminal Investigation Branch of the National Police, Brigadier General Eko Hadi Santoso, in a press conference at the Police Criminal Investigation Building, South Jakarta, Monday (22/12/2025).
Police officials explained that Syndicate 4 was one of six distinct narcotics syndicates identified and disrupted during the investigation. From this specific group, law enforcement officers confiscated various types of illicit drugs, including cocaine, MDMA, ecstasy in tablet form, powdered ecstasy, marijuana, and ketamine.
Scope of the Police Operation
The broader operation led to the exposure of six narcotics syndicates in total. Bareskrim Polri reported that 17 individuals have been arrested and named as suspects across all syndicates. In addition, seven individuals remain at large and are on the police wanted list.
Investigators indicated that the networks operated across provincial boundaries, with activities linked to Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bali. The case also involves cross-border elements, as several of the syndicates were connected to foreign nationals.
Seized Evidence and Narcotics Types
In aggregate, the operation resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of narcotics. Bareskrim Polri documented the confiscation of approximately 31 kilograms of methamphetamine, 956.5 ecstasy pills, more than one kilogram of ketamine, and 33.12 grams of cocaine. Additional substances seized included MDMA, marijuana, as well as products known as Happy Water and Happy Five.
“The calculation of the total estimated price if the evidence is circulating on the drug black market is worth Rp 60.5 billion,” said Eko.
Authorities emphasized that the diversity and volume of the seized drugs reflected the scale and complexity of the trafficking networks under investigation. The evidence collected is being used to strengthen the case against the suspects and to trace further connections within the syndicates.
Legal Charges and Ongoing Process
All suspects identified in the case, including MA, are being charged under Law Number 35 of 2009 on Narcotics. Police stated that the penalties for each suspect will correspond to their roles within the networks, with severe criminal sanctions applicable under the law.
Bareskrim Polri continues to pursue the remaining suspects, who remain listed as fugitives. Investigators are also working to further map the syndicates’ structure and identify additional individuals involved in the trafficking activities.
As of now, the investigation is ongoing, with authorities focusing on arresting those still at large and finalizing case files for prosecution based on the evidence already secured.
