DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – Bali Police have announced the results of Operation Antik Agung 2026, a province-wide anti-narcotics crackdown that led to dozens of arrests and the seizure of illegal drugs worth an estimated IDR 13.1 billion.
One of the most significant cases involved a 29-year-old Ukrainian national identified by the initials BL, who was arrested at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Badung after authorities discovered 937 mephedrone pills weighing a total of 1,367.70 grams.
Mephedrone is a precursor substance commonly associated with the production of ecstasy. Police estimated the seized pills to be worth approximately IDR 700 million.
Bali Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya said authorities continue working with domestic and international partners to reduce narcotics smuggling into Bali.
“Together with relevant stakeholders, we continue efforts to minimize narcotics smuggling into Bali, including cooperation with the International Relations Division of the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency,” Daniel said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
According to Bali Police Narcotics Director Senior Commissioner Radiant, the suspect was identified during a joint patrol conducted by Customs officers and Bali Police at Ngurah Rai Airport on May 21, 2026.
Authorities observed suspicious behavior from the passenger shortly after arriving on a flight from Poland with a transit stop in Doha. A subsequent inspection uncovered three packages containing 937 mephedrone pills, weighing 951.64 grams net.
“The suspect admitted he intended to sell the mephedrone in Bali. However, he claimed he was still looking for a villa, and the investigation is continuing,” Radiant said.
Operation Antik Agung 2026 was conducted over 16 days, from May 13 to May 28, with Bali Police’s Narcotics Directorate serving as the lead unit. The operation focused on preventing drug abuse and dismantling illegal narcotics networks across the province.
Police reported that all 77 operational targets were successfully addressed, resulting in 74 cases involving 77 suspects.
Seized evidence from targeted cases included 3,315.17 grams of methamphetamine, 431 ecstasy pills, 87.21 grams of marijuana, and 53.46 grams of synthetic tobacco.
Authorities also uncovered 37 additional non-target cases involving 61 suspects. Evidence from those investigations included 2,964.05 grams of methamphetamine, 153 ecstasy pills, 937 mephedrone pills, 2,036.20 grams of marijuana, 23.5 grams of cocaine, and 1,282 illicit pills.
Police estimated the combined value of all confiscated drugs at IDR 13.1 billion and said the operation potentially prevented more than 40,000 people from being exposed to illegal narcotics.
Daniel said Bali Police continue to cooperate with Immigration, Customs, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), foreign law enforcement agencies, and diplomatic missions in Bali to combat drug trafficking.
“Criminals constantly look for new ways to avoid detection and develop new smuggling methods. We will continue evaluating every case and adapting our strategies to anticipate emerging tactics,” he said.
He also urged the public to report suspected drug abuse or trafficking activities to local authorities or through the Indonesian National Police’s 24-hour emergency hotline 110.
Following the press conference, police officials carried out the destruction of the seized narcotics evidence.