Inp.polri.go.id - Batam. Indonesian National Police (INP) Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo outlined a comprehensive drug prevention strategy in the Riau Islands, emphasizing a bottom-up approach involving village heads, local officials, and stakeholders.

During a visit to Batam on Monday (14/4/2025), the INP Chief highlighted initiatives such as building “drug-free civilized villages” and expanding rehabilitation facilities to sub-district levels with support from the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Health Offices.

Rehabilitation is prioritized for drug users who voluntarily report themselves, with the aim of full recovery under proper supervision. On the enforcement side, officers are trained to differentiate between users and traffickers, enabling appropriate legal or medical responses.

Recognizing Riau Islands’ geographic vulnerability—96 percent of which is ocean—Chief Sigit acknowledged that the region remains a key entry point for drugs smuggled from Malaysia through seaports like Kukup and Stulang Laut into the Riau Islands cities. 

Drug cases have steadily risen in Kepri: 329 in 2021 to 429 in 2024, with 177 already recorded by March 2025. In the past year, police arrested 884 suspects, including a major seizure of 93.3 grams of methamphetamine in Bintan waters last month.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)