Semarang. A combined operation involving the Indonesian National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim Polri), the Directorate General of Customs, and the Central Java Regional Police raided a residence on West Ngesrep Street IV in Semarang, Jakarta. The location was found to be a clandestine production site for narcotics, including crystal methamphetamine (commonly known as "sabu-sabu") and a liquid substance known as "happy water", on Wednesday.

During the operation, law enforcement successfully apprehended two individuals identified by the initials PR and F, who were suspected of being involved in the manufacturing process. Additionally, various equipment and chemical substances in both powder and liquid forms, containing amphetamines and liquid crystal methamphetamine, were seized.

Mukti Juharsa, the Director of the Criminal Department at Bareskrim Polri, revealed during a press conference at the raided location in Semarang that the target markets for these illicit substances were entertainment venues in major cities such as Java, Bali, Kalimantan, and Sumatra. He said that the packaging closely resembled those previously discovered in Thailand, featuring sachets adorned with Ferrari and Ducati logos.

Preliminary investigations indicated that PR and F could produce 7,000 sachets of happy water per week, destined for distribution in several major cities, including Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, and Bali.

"It's crucial to understand that the happy water they manufactured has effects akin to consuming ecstasy. Each sachet contains a 7-gram dosage, intended for single-use after being dissolved in water," Mukti emphasized.

The investigation into this case was initiated due to suspicions surrounding the importation of goods from China and Hong Kong on ten occasions between January and early April 2024.

Syarif Hidayat, the Director of Narcotics Interdiction at the Directorate General of Customs, explained during a subsequent press conference that the shipments were falsely labeled as supplements or vitamins on the invoices provided by the perpetrators.

"Our suspicions were aroused by several imports from China and Hong Kong, which were inaccurately labeled as supplements. We conducted further investigations and promptly notified Bareskrim Polri for subsequent actions," Syarif said at the scene of the incident.