inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Riau Islands Regional Police Chief Inspector General Asep Safrudin ordered the police chiefs in his jurisdiction to be more vigilant in their respective areas to anticipate the presence of drug minilabs.
"We have ordered all police chiefs and the public to be more vigilant, in the anticipation of drug offenders doing small-scale narcotics production," Chief Asep emphasized on Wednesday (9/17/2025).
This order was issued after the Riau Islands Regional Police Narcotics Directorate uncovered the existence of a drug minilab that was doing methamphetamine 'laundry' in a remote area in Tanjung Piayu, Batam City.
In this disclosure, the authorities arrested two perpetrators with the initials VO and PTS from Sumatra. Both were caught laundering poor quality methamphetamine to make it new again.
The methamphetamine was laundered using a chemical liquid whose type is currently still being investigated. After being soaked in chemical liquids and dried for several days using a heat lamp. Suspects also said that the left-over from the laundry also contained drug-like substances. Meanwhile, the perpetrators claimed that the washed methamphetamine caused dizziness.
Suspects say that they have been doing the laundry for three weeks. The land and the building used for the minilab was provided by M, who is now on the run.
Meanwhile, VO and PTS were funded by the perpetrator with the initials AR from Pekanbaru to establish the minilab. This included supplying 5.5 kg of washed methamphetamine and 556.3 ml of pink ecstasy powder to be re-formed into pills.
According to the perpetrators, they were taught how to wash the methamphetamine by AR's acquaintance, Eko. They were guided through the process via video call.
Police says that the finding of the minilab is of a concern as the suspects chose an isolated area, deep within the forest, to avoid public and police surveillance.
"Perhaps this is my appeal to the public as well, including the police chief and personnel, as they must care about their surrounding environment. This case has brought attention to our need to be more concerned about the environment," concluded Asep.
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