BALINEWSID.COM, DENPASAR — Indonesia’s Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), through the Denpasar Regional Office, has uncovered an illegal distribution network of restricted prescription drugs in Bali. From 2023 to May 2026, authorities arrested 15 suspects and seized around 173,000 illegal hard-drug tablets.

The crackdown was announced during a joint press conference held by BPOM, the police, and BPOM supervisory investigators in Denpasar on Wednesday (May 20, 2026). The operation was part of a nationwide campaign to prevent the abuse of restricted medications across Indonesia.

Acting Head of BPOM Denpasar, Made Ery Bahari Hantana, said the suspects used various methods to evade detection, including disguising illegal drugs in packaging labeled as other products.

“This is one of the camouflage methods. The package was labeled as livestock vitamins containing vitamin B complex, but after further examination, we found that the actual contents were trihexyphenidyl,” Ery said.

He estimated the economic value of the confiscated evidence at around Rp200 million. Most of the cases in Bali were uncovered in Denpasar and Badung.

Meanwhile, BPOM Deputy for Enforcement, Tubagus Ade Hidayat, said the distribution pattern of illegal restricted drugs has shifted from online marketplaces to social media platforms following intensified cyber patrols.

“BPOM’s Cyber Directorate has been conducting continuous cyber patrols. These drugs are no longer easily found in marketplaces, but they are still circulating through social media,” Tubagus said.

BPOM has also partnered with courier and delivery service companies to tighten supervision over illegal drug shipments sent through package delivery services.

“Package delivery services are now cooperating with us to anticipate and minimize the distribution of these illegal goods,” he added.

According to Tubagus, the widespread abuse of illegal hard drugs is driven by their low prices and easier access compared to narcotics. However, he warned that the effects are similarly dangerous because the substances target the central nervous system.

“Compared to narcotics, these drugs are cheaper, but the impact is more or less the same,” he said.

He also warned that abuse of such drugs could trigger social disorder and criminal activities.

“Crime can increase, street fights can occur because these substances affect the brain and central nervous system. Therefore, they must be addressed and eradicated,” Tubagus stressed.

In addition to law enforcement measures, BPOM is also emphasizing preventive and educational efforts by encouraging the public to use medicines only with a doctor’s prescription and purchase them from authorized facilities. The agency is also promoting rehabilitation programs for users suffering from dependency.

“Those who are already dependent should undergo rehabilitation so they do not continue using these substances, which could lead to even more severe consequences,” Tubagus said.

The suspects have been charged under Articles 435 and 436 of Indonesia’s Health Law, carrying a maximum prison sentence of 12 years.