By: Rivka Mayangsari*)
The National Narcotics Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BNN RI) continues to intensify efforts to eradicate drugs in a comprehensive, structured, and massive manner. In the momentum of the year of acceleration of Prevention and Eradication of Abuse and Illicit Trafficking of Narcotics (P4GN), BNN RI is implementing four main strategies as a form of war against drugs in order to save the future of the nation’s generation.
The first approach that is prioritized is the soft power approach, namely a prevention strategy that focuses on increasing the community’s resilience to the threat of drugs, especially among young people. Through this strategy, education programs, information dissemination, and advocacy are intensively carried out. The government is actively expanding the reach of rehabilitation that is easily accessible and accepted by the community to help drug abusers escape the trap of addiction.
As a concrete result, thousands of community-based programs have been implemented nationally. More than a thousand Desa Bersinar (Clean from Drugs) have been formed in various corners of the country, becoming centers for prevention activities, community empowerment, and rehabilitation. In addition, the Shining School movement targets thousands of educational units from elementary to secondary levels, while hundreds of universities are also part of the Shining Campus movement. This strategy even extends to Shining Prisons and strengthening resilience in 101 districts/cities that have been classified as drug-responsive areas.
In strengthening the capacity of human resources in the field of rehabilitation, technical training and certification programs continue to be improved. More than a thousand individuals have participated in technical competency training, while hundreds more have received certification as addiction counselors. In addition, thousands of recovery officers are given training to ensure that the quality of service remains high. Community-Based Intervention (IBM) services have also created nearly 300 rehabilitation units at the local level, spread across 34 provinces and 173 districts/cities.
The second strategy is a hard power approach, namely a firm law enforcement approach against drug syndicates. In the period from 2021 to mid-2022, more than 55 thousand cases of drug crimes were successfully uncovered by the authorities. This action includes the confiscation of hundreds of tons of marijuana, tens of hectares of marijuana fields, thousands of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, hundreds of thousands of ecstasy pills, and synthetic narcotics of the gorilla type. Not only that, the eradication of drug networks is also accompanied by action against Money Laundering Crimes (TPPU) with a total value of confiscated assets reaching more than IDR 123 billion.
This data shows that the government is not only targeting field actors, but also targeting the financial heart of the syndicate which has been the backbone of drug trafficking in Indonesia. This repressive approach is carried out precisely and sustainably to break the supply chain from upstream to downstream.
Furthermore, the smart power approach strategy is an innovative step in the midst of the digital era. The government integrates information technology to strengthen the governance and administration system for handling drugs. The e-mindik system was developed as a digitalization tool for investigation administration which aims to increase transparency, efficiency, and accountability at the institutional level.
Not only that, the integrated service system BOSS (BNN One Stop Service) was also launched to facilitate public access to various BNN services, including e-medical application-based medical services and online services for non-pharmaceutical precursor licensing. This approach is an important part of the digital transformation in national narcotics control, which further accelerates cross-sector coordination.
The last strategy that is no less important is cooperation, or cross-sector cooperation, both nationally and internationally. Realizing that narcotics crimes are transnational in nature, the Indonesian government is actively expanding its collaboration network. Hundreds of memorandums of understanding and cooperation agreements have been established with government agencies and community elements.
At the international level, Indonesia is strengthening coordination with 24 countries and foreign partner organizations in anticipating the circulation of new types of narcotics, including cocaine which is starting to threaten from Latin America. This multilateral approach proves that Indonesia does not stand alone, but is part of a global community that is committed to fighting the dangers of drugs together.
The strength of this cooperation strategy lies in its ability to build synergy. The government encourages the integration of policies and programs between the BNN, law enforcement agencies, related ministries/institutions, to the private sector and civil society. All parties are invited to unite to protect the younger generation from the dangers of drugs that are eroding the future of the nation.
Through the combinationination of soft, hard, smart, and collaborative approaches, the Indonesian government shows high seriousness in eradicating drugs from various sides. This four-strength strategy is not just a jargon, but real work implemented with data, action, and innovation.
This movement is an important milestone in efforts to save Indonesia’s future from the threat of narcotics. In the long term, the success of drug eradication is not only measured by the number of cases revealed, but by the increasing strength of the community’s social resilience to the destructive influence of these illegal substances.
The government is committed to making Indonesia a sovereign, healthy country that is free from the dangers of narcotics for the glory of the golden generation of 2045.
)* Observer of social issues
