BADUNG, BALI NEWS – A joint team from the Customs Office at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and the Bali Provincial National Narcotics Agency (BNNP Bali) has foiled an attempt to smuggle 4,594.5 grams, or approximately 4.59 kilograms, of suspected cocaine into Bali. Two Chilean nationals suspected of transporting the drugs were arrested along with an Indonesian man allegedly designated to receive the shipment.
The seizure took place at the international arrivals terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at approximately 4 p.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA). The operation was initiated after an X-ray scan of passengers’ luggage revealed suspicious images.
Officers subsequently inspected two backpacks belonging to the passengers, who arrived in Bali aboard Jetstar flight JQ43 from Melbourne, Australia, to Denpasar. The two had previously traveled from Santiago, Chile, on LATAM Airlines flight LA805.
Acting Head of BNNP Bali, Police Commissioner Stevy Fritts Pattiasina, said officers discovered four black plastic packages containing white powder suspected to be cocaine, classified as a Category I narcotic under Indonesian law.
“The seized evidence totaled approximately 4.59 kilograms gross weight. The two foreign nationals came to Bali for a holiday,” Stevy said on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
The suspected cocaine had been concealed inside the rear walls of the backpacks using a false-compartment technique intended to evade security inspections.
Two packages weighing a combined gross total of 2,284.5 grams were found in the backpack belonging to a female passenger identified by the initial J. Another two packages, weighing 2,310 grams gross, were discovered in the backpack of a male passenger identified by the initial B.
Alleged Recipient Arrested at Hotel
Following the arrests of the two Chilean nationals, the joint team continued its investigation to identify the intended recipient of the suspected cocaine.
During the investigation, officers detained two travel drivers near the international arrivals area of Ngurah Rai Airport. Preliminary questioning indicated that the drivers had merely been assigned to pick up the two tourists at the request of the hotel where they were staying.
Stevy explained that the two passengers had booked accommodation in the Kuta area and requested airport transfers. Based on the initial statements provided by BNNP Bali, the drivers, who worked with the hotel, were treated as witnesses in the case.
The investigation subsequently led officers to an Indonesian man identified by the initials HU, who was suspected of being the intended recipient of the drugs.
Investigators monitored incoming communications and discovered that HU had instructed the two passengers to hand over the packages in the hotel courtyard.
The joint team moved quickly and arrested HU at the location without resistance.
“The alleged recipient of the cocaine, HU, an Indonesian national, was arrested in the hotel courtyard without resistance,” Stevy said.
During questioning, HU reportedly claimed that he had acted only as a recipient on the instructions of a foreign national suspected of controlling the operation.
BNNP Bali is continuing to search for the alleged mastermind as investigators seek to uncover the suspected transnational drug-trafficking network behind the shipment.
“We are still pursuing a foreign national suspected of being the controller. There are strong indications that the suspects are connected to an international drug network,” Stevy said.
Seizure Could Prevent Harm to 22,973 People
Stevy, who also serves as Head of BNNP Bali’s Eradication and Intelligence Division, said the seizure could potentially prevent the harmful effects of narcotics abuse from reaching approximately 22,973 people.
The operation was also estimated to have the potential to save the state up to Rp36.7 billion in financial costs.
According to Stevy, the successful interception forms part of the government's broader efforts to protect the public from the dangers of drug abuse and illicit narcotics trafficking.
He added that Bali, despite its reputation as an international tourism destination, remains a target for international drug-trafficking networks that employ various methods to smuggle illegal substances onto the island.
BNNP Bali and other relevant agencies have pledged to strengthen coordination and surveillance to prevent narcotics from entering and circulating throughout Bali.
As of Thursday, October 15, 2026, the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are continuing their efforts to locate the alleged mastermind and are examining the possibility that other individuals may have been involved in the suspected smuggling operation.
