Bali police busted a drug lab run by Russians, Ukrainians. Should Indonesia execute tourists who commit serious drug crimes?

Some Indonesians have voiced support for the drug traffickers to be executed. As of October last year, Indonesia had 509 death row inmates

Police believe the group, comprising foreigners and an Indonesian, pocketed around four billion rupiah (US$249,171) within six months of operating out of the Canggu villa

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Wahyu Widada (seated, 2nd from left), head of Indonesia’s criminal investigation agency, speaks at a press conference in Indonesia’s Bali island. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:00pm, 24 May 2024Updated: 5:34pm, 24 May 2024

A raid on a suspected drug lab in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, allegedly operated by Russian and Ukrainian nationals, has reignited discussion about banning “problematic” tourists and executing criminals for serious drug crimes.

Two Ukrainians, a Russian, and an Indonesian were arrested earlier this month for running the clandestine drug lab that police said produced hydroponic marijuana, mephedrone, and cocaine out of a villa in the hip tourist area of Canggu in southern Bali.

The Ukrainian suspects, twins Ivan and Mikhayla Volovod, had obtained investor visas in September by posing as property agents. They were believed to be responsible for manufacturing the drugs while the Russian suspect, Konstantin Krutz, was in charge of marketing, Indonesian police said on May 13.

Suspects line up during a news conference at a villa in Canggu, Bali. The police believe that the group pocketed around four billion rupiah (US$249,171) within six months of operating out of the villa. Photo: AP

The group, which only accepted payments in bitcoin, advertised the address of their darknet site, where the drugs were sold, on highly visible walls and electricity poles around Canggu, the police said.

“For drug transactions, they used the Telegram application. That [site address] was plastered everywhere, a layman would see it, and they wouldn’t know, it turns out it’s a code for people to buy [drugs],” Wahyu Widada, head of the national police criminal investigation agency, said.

The police believe that the group pocketed around four billion rupiah (US$249,171) within six months of operating out of the villa, which was designed to be soundproof and out of mobile signal range. They also believe that the group procured the equipment and ingredients from China and Romania, and that the Volovod twins learned drug manufacturing through the internet.

Mikhayla told Indonesian news portal Detik he became unemployed after the Ukraine war began and that he “knew the consequence” of his illegal actions. Krutz, the Russian suspect, admitted he was involved in the operation because he “lost assets in Russia and went bankrupt” due to the war.