Drugs: A Multidimensional Problem That Needs a Comprehensive Solution

By: Zafieqka Fitra

The drug problem in Indonesia is not just a legal issue, but also touches various aspects of life, including social and economic. Its increasingly widespread distribution not only damages public health, but also creates a criminal ecosystem that is difficult to eradicate if not addressed with a more comprehensive approach.
According to the Head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), Commissioner General of Police Marthinus Hukom, the drug business in Indonesia generates a very large turnover of money, reaching IDR 500 trillion per year. This amount shows that the drug network has become a deep-rooted illegal industry and has a significant economic impact. In addition to harming the country, the turnover of money in this business also affects social stability, especially in areas that are centers of drug distribution.
In some cases, drug dealers have even taken over the role of community leaders in various residential areas. They take advantage of the economic conditions of residents by making local people part of the drug distribution network. As Marthinus said, dealers often recruit shrimp farmers to become drug couriers with a fee of up to IDR 40 million per kilogram. This condition shows that poverty and economic limitations are still the main factors used by drug syndicates to expand their influence.
In addition, drug distribution patterns are now increasingly sophisticated by utilizing social media as a marketing tool. This challenge requires a more innovative response strategy and does not only rely on conventional approaches in law enforcement. Currently, the BNN is focusing on handling three drug-prone areas in Jakarta, namely Kampung Boncos, Kampung Bahari, and Kampung Permata. This step is part of an effort to break the distribution chain in areas that have long been known as centers of drug distribution.
Drug distribution not only impacts individuals who consume it, but also has long-term effects on the social and economic environment. Socially, drugs have damaged many young generations, causing generations to lose their future due to addiction. Not a few families have been destroyed because one of their members has fallen into the world of drugs, either as a user or a dealer.
From an economic perspective, drug distribution creates a dependency that damages workforce productivity. Instead of contributing to development, drug users tend to experience physical and mental degradation that makes them unable to work optimally. Moreover, the influence of drug syndicates that enter the community’s economic system makes it increasingly difficult for small businesses to develop, because the circulation of money is mostly controlled by criminal groups.
Responding to this condition, the Minister of SMEs Maman Abdurrahman emphasized that drug eradication must be carried out simultaneously with the creation of economic opportunities for vulnerable communities. According to him, one solution that can be adapted is the strategy implemented by Thailand in changing the Golden Triangle area—which was previously the largest opium production center—into a macadamia nut production center. This model shows that with the right approach, communities that have so far depended on a drug-based economy can be diverted to more productive sectors.
Given the complexity of the drug problem, an economic approach is one solution that cannot be ignored. Eradicating drugs through law enforcement alone will not be enough if the communities that have been involved in it are not given better alternative livelihoods. As a concrete step, the BNN and the Ministry of SMEs agreed to draft a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration in developing SMEs in drug-prone areas. This step aims to provide economic solutions for people who were previously involved in drug networks so that they have the opportunity to switch to a more positive and sustainable business sector. In this context, the government needs to ensure that the MSME development program in drug-prone areas is truly running effectively. One of the biggest challenges in implementing a program like this is helping people who have been caught in the drug trafficking system to get out and switch to the legal economic sector. Without ongoing support, people who have been involved in drug trafficking are at risk of returning to the same path due to economic pressures.