BALIKPAPAN - The Directorate of Drug Investigation of the East Kalimantan Regional Police (Polda Kaltim) has successfully uncovered a Money Laundering (TPPU) case involving a drug lord in Muara Komam District, Paser Regency. The suspect, with the initials MYF, is suspected of running this illicit drug trafficking business of methamphetamine and ecstasy since 2023 with a very large turnover.
During a search of the suspect's residence, police seized a number of assets of fantastic value strongly suspected to be proceeds of narcotics crimes. The seized assets include IDR 1 billion in cash, one unit of a Toyota Fortuner, one unit of a Toyota Hilux, and ownership documents for a 13-hectare palm oil plantation. In addition, officers also secured drug evidence in the form of 1.49 grams of methamphetamine and 2.17 grams of ecstasy.
Director of Drug Investigation at Polda Kaltim, Senior Commissioner Romylus Tamtelahitu, revealed that MYF is estimated to have distributed 1 to 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine every month. To disguise the flow of funds from these illegal transactions, the suspect utilized personal bank accounts and also borrowed accounts belonging to other people.
Romylus emphasized that law enforcement against drug networks now focuses on the follow the money method. This strategy is applied to cut off the financial strength of drug networks, ensuring that perpetrators no longer have the capital to restart their illegal business even from behind bars.
For his actions, MYF is now charged under multiple articles, including Law Number 35 of 2009 on Narcotics and Law Number 8 of 2010 on Money Laundering. Polda Kaltim is also continuing to develop the investigation to trace the possibility of other assets and the involvement of other individuals in this network.
