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| Police in East Nusa Tenggara Uncover Illegal Poppers Distribution Network. |
Kupang – The East Nusa Tenggara Regional Police (Polda NTT) has successfully uncovered an interprovincial illegal drug distribution network involving poppers. The Directorate of Drug Investigation (Ditresnarkoba) arrested two key suppliers who were responsible for distributing these controlled substances.
“We have arrested two main suppliers in Jakarta and Surabaya following investigations in Kupang. Prior to this, we had already secured a local distributor,” said Kombes Pol. Ardiyanto Tedjo Baskoro, S.H., S.I.K., the Director of Drug Investigation at Polda NTT, as reported by Antaranews on Tuesday (March 25, 2025).
During a press conference, the two suspects were presented to the public along with the evidence seized in this case. Authorities confiscated approximately 14,000 bottles of poppers during the operation.
“Poppers are commonly used by individuals within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community,” he explained.
The Case Unfolds
The case began with the arrest of a 27-year-old man, identified as HYR, on November 10, 2024, in Kupang. At the time of his arrest, police found 15 bottles of poppers, each containing 10ml of liquid. Further investigations revealed that HYR had purchased poppers through TikTok on nine separate occasions, with each transaction involving 20 bottles.
“He resold the poppers at a higher price using social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Line, Michat, and others,” the police official stated.
HYR reportedly bought poppers for IDR 120,000 per bottle and sold them for IDR 200,000 each. Since he started selling, he had already distributed over 100 bottles. This is despite the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) issuing a public warning on October 13, 2021, prohibiting poppers due to their isobutyl nitrite content, which can cause strokes, heart attacks, and even death if misused.
Tracing the Bigger Network
Further investigations led the police to a larger supply network. HYR admitted to sourcing the poppers from a man named Jefri Hutasoit, who lived in Bekasi. Jefri actively promoted poppers through live-streaming on TikTok.
HYR placed orders through Jefri’s TikTok account and continued communication via WhatsApp. Jefri acted as an affiliate marketer, selling the product on social media and earning a commission of IDR 10,000 per bottle sold.
The supply chain further led to another suspect, SW, who managed an online store. Police arrested Jefri in Jakarta and SW in Surabaya on March 18, 2025. Investigations revealed that SW imported poppers directly from China via e-commerce platforms.
Legal Consequences
All three suspects have now been formally charged under Article 435 in conjunction with Article 138, paragraph (2) of Law Number 17 of 2023 on Health, as well as Article 55, paragraph (1), section 1 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).
HYR faces up to 12 years in prison, while Jefri and SW have also been officially detained since March 19, 2025.
“We will not tolerate illegal drug and narcotics crimes. We urge the public to be more cautious when purchasing medicines, especially from digital platforms,” the police official emphasized.
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