PONTIANAK, thekabarnews.com—West Kalimantan Police detained two people and seized suspected methamphetamine and hundreds of products believed to contain etomidate during an anti-drug operation in Kampung Beting, East Pontianak, on Friday, October 9.

The operation involved officers from several West Kalimantan Police directorates and units, supported by the Pontianak Metropolitan Police. Moreover, authorities said the raid formed part of a planned national operation ordered by newly appointed National Police chief Gen. Suyudi Ario Seto.

According to the police’s preliminary account, officers confiscated 0.18 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine. They also found 229 etomidate-related products, each packaged with a picture of a woman. Authorities found another 11 items carrying the Bugati brand.

Investigators seized a box of glass pipettes, 31 smoking devices and a weighing scale. Police also collected other equipment that they suspect had links to drug consumption or distribution.

Authorities have not disclosed the identities of the two people or their precise alleged roles. They have also not disclosed the criminal provisions under which investigators are processing the case.

Laboratory testing will need to confirm the contents of the seized substances and products. The presumption of innocence applies until a court issues a final ruling.

Etomidate has legitimate medical uses as a short-acting intravenous anesthetic. However, Indonesian authorities have reported growing misuse of the substance in electronic-cigarette cartridges.

Health Ministerial Regulation No. 15/2025 added etomidate to Indonesia’s list of Class II narcotics. The classification allows limited medical use under strict controls while imposing criminal penalties for unauthorized possession or distribution.

Before becoming National Police Chief on October 1, Suyudi led the National Narcotics Agency (BNN). He previously warned that traffickers were increasingly disguising narcotics as consumer products.

“Narcotics now move more quietly through social media, digital transactions and products disguised as part of a modern lifestyle,” Suyudi said in May.

“One alarming phenomenon is the misuse of electronic cigarettes as a delivery system for narcotic substances, including the anesthetic etomidate.”

The BNN estimates that drug-use prevalence among Indonesians aged 15 to 64 reached 2.11 percent in 2025. This is equivalent to approximately 4.1 million people. The agency recorded a higher prevalence of 2.53 percent among people aged 15 to 24.

Kampung Beting has been the site of previous anti-narcotics operations. In October 2024, West Kalimantan Police seized around 11 kilograms of illegal drugs following a six-day operation in the area.

Police said investigators would examine the seized devices and question the two detainees. They want to determine whether the case involved personal use or a wider distribution network.

Any further enforcement should rely on laboratory evidence and individual responsibility. It should not attach a criminal stigma to the broader Kampung Beting community.