BALI, RAKYAT NEWS – The Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Division (Bareskrim Polri) successfully repatriated RN, a foreign national linked to a major drug lab operation in Badung, Bali.

RN, a Ukrainian national, had been a fugitive since May 2024 and was captured in Thailand on December 19, 2024, while attempting to board a flight to Dubai.

The suspect was detained at U-Tapao Rayong Airport by Thai authorities before being transferred to Indonesia. RN arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Sunday, December 22, at 18:30 WIB, after traveling from Bangkok. His repatriation marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to dismantle drug production operations in Bali.

According to Brigadier General Mukti Juharsa, the Director of the Narcotics Crime Division at Bareskrim, RN had been residing in Bangkok for approximately three and a half months before his arrest. Thai police had been monitoring RN’s movements following intelligence gathered from Indonesian authorities.

Upon receiving confirmation of RN’s location, the Police Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok coordinated closely with Thai law enforcement to ensure his return to Indonesia. After RN’s handover by Thai authorities, Indonesian police immediately arranged for his transportation back to Indonesia.

RN is believed to be the key figure behind a clandestine drug laboratory located in a villa in the Tibubeneng area of Badung, Bali. The laboratory was used for the production of illegal substances, including marijuana and methamphetamine. RN was reportedly the financier and mastermind behind the lab, and he had organized the construction of a basement at the villa for the purpose of running the operation.

Brigadier General Juharsa confirmed that RN played a central role in the operation of the illegal lab, overseeing both the production and distribution of drugs. He also acted as a key figure controlling the couriers who were previously arrested in connection with the operation.

In May 2024, Bareskrim Polri successfully apprehended three foreign nationals involved in operating the same clandestine drug lab. The lab had been running for over two years in a villa that had been rented for nearly 25 months. The suspects had been using hydroponic technology to grow marijuana and produce methamphetamine.

The police have indicated that further investigations will be carried out to trace the full extent of RN’s involvement in the operation. RN is expected to face legal proceedings in Indonesia for his role in the illegal drug manufacturing network.

This case highlights the Indonesian police’s continued commitment to fighting large-scale narcotics operations and ensuring that those responsible for trafficking and producing illegal drugs are brought to justice. The successful return of RN is expected to lead to further breakthroughs in dismantling drug syndicates operating within the country. (Uki Ruknuddin)