inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Martinus Hukom revealed that women or housewives are now being targeted by drug syndicates to become couriers of illegal goods.

According to him, this is reflected in the large number of women or housewives who were arrested as suspects in alleged narcotics trafficking during their April-June 2025 operation. The findings show that women do not only play a passive role or as victims, but are also actively involved in the operations of organized syndicate networks.

"This new method of these drug syndicate networks, which have penetrated and deceived Indonesian women or mothers, is a concern," said Martinus Hukom during a press conference at the Office of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, Jakarta, Monday (6/23/2025).

During the period of April-June 2025, he said, there were 285 suspects who were arrested for being involved in narcotics cases, consisting of 256 men and 29 women. The number shows that 20 percent of the total suspects are women.

According to him, the involvement generally begins with the role of courier, which is considered safe by the drug ring as of minimal suspicion from the authorities. However, over time, women began to occupy more strategic positions such as recruiters, distribution controllers, and even financial managers of the proceeds of the illicit narcotics business.

This pattern, said Martinus, reflects that the narcotics syndicate is increasingly adaptive in utilizing the role and social position of women to obscure the traces of their crimes.

"For that reason, it is necessary to have the right approach in efforts to empower Indonesian women as moral agents," he said.

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