Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. North Jakarta Metropolitan Sub-regional Police have confirmed that raw materials for the drug etomidate were smuggled from China by a 51-year-old Chinese man, identified as HC. 

The suspect allegedly processed the substances in several home industries across North Jakarta before distributing them in vape cartridges.

"According to the suspect's confession, the materials were ordered from abroad, specifically from China," said Superintendent Ari Galang Saputro, the Head of the North Jakarta Police Narcotics Investigation Unit, on Wednesday (6/5/2026). 

He added that the suspect claimed a turnover of up to Rp40 million per transaction.

Following raids at three separate locations, officers seized raw ingredients, production tools, and hundreds of ready-to-distribute vape cartridges. The investigation is now focused on how the illegal precursors entered Indonesia. Police are currently calculating the total monthly turnover as significant quantities of undistributed stock were recovered during the operation.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)