Polri raids 3 correctional facilities in Indonesia in Drug Nest Operation

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian National Police (Polri) has intensified its anti-drug efforts by raiding three correctional facilities located in North Kalimantan (Kaltara), West Kalimantan (Kalbar), and Bali.

Brigadier General Kristian Parluhutan Siagian, Director of Drug Crime Investigation at the Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) of Polri, stated that the raids were part of the Drug Nest Operation carried out by his agency in collaboration with the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Directorate General of Corrections.

"Previously, we have conducted widespread eradication in several regions known as drug hotspots in Indonesia. This time, the targets of the Drug Nest Operation are correctional facilities," he said in a statement received in Jakarta on Sunday (15/11/2026).

According to Kristian, the raids aim to disrupt the potential for drug use and control of drug networks from within the prisons.

“There have been numerous instances of drug smuggling into these facilities, with inmates managing drug networks from inside. The Drug Nest Operation is a follow-up to the directive from Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto, who has firmly ordered the eradication of drugs,” he added.

He identified the three targeted facilities as the Class IIA Correctional Facility in Tarakan, Kaltara; the Class IIA Correctional Facility in Kerobokan, Bali; and the Class IIA Correctional Facility in Pontianak, Kalbar. All three were simultaneously raided on October 30, 2026.

During the raids, joint officers discovered evidence including ecstasy and methamphetamine, smoking pipes (bongs), and dozens of mobile phones.

A total of 83 inmates were apprehended during the operation across the three facilities.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Zulkarnaen Harahap, head of Subdirectorate III of the Drug Crime Investigation Unit at Bareskrim Polri, reported that a urine test was conducted on the detained inmates.

The results indicated that two out of the six inmates held at the Tarakan facility tested positive for drug use, while 27 out of the 41 detained at the Pontianak facility also tested positive.

At the Kerobokan facility, 24 out of 36 inmates who were apprehended tested positive for drugs.

Those who tested positive for drugs were taken to the local Narcotics Directorate for further investigation and case development.

In contrast, inmates who tested negative for drugs and had no communication devices will be returned to their respective blocks.

Furthermore, Zulkarnaen mentioned that investigators are looking into six inmates detained at the Tarakan facility. These inmates were previously targets of operations by the Central BNN and the North Kalimantan BNNP.

Investigators are also examining the mobile phones seized from the inmates in an effort to dismantle the drug trafficking networks controlled from within the correctional facilities.