A joint enforcement team arrested three men described as suspected owners of cannabis fields in North Aceh, identified only by the initials L (35), T (42) and W (32).[1][2][3][4][5] The operation took place on Monday 2 November 2026 on plantation slopes at Alue Garut hamlet in Teupin Ruseb village, Sawang district.[1][2][3][4][6][7][5][8] The agencies involved were the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency’s drug-crime directorate (Direktorat Tindak Pidana Narkoba Bareskrim Polri), the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Lhokseumawe police.[1][2][3][4][6][5][8]

Officers found about 18 hectares of cannabis with harvest-ready plants.[9][2][3][4] They collected the uprooted plants and burned them on site.[9][2][4][6][7][5] Personnel were photographed carrying bundles of plants for burning and setting the piles alight.[10]

The eradication was described as part of efforts to eradicate cannabis cultivation and cut off the drug supply at its source.[9] It was also aimed at preventing the ready harvest from being gathered and entering illicit drug trafficking.[9]

The operation was led by BNN acting eradication deputy Brigjen Adri Irniadi and Bareskrim drug director Brigjen Kristian Siagian, accompanied by Lhokseumawe police chief AKBP Ahzan.[6][5][8] The find followed mapping and community information, in extreme terrain about 5 to 7 kilometres from the nearest settlement.[6][5] The three suspects were held at Polres for examination to trace those who ordered and funded the fields.[6][7][5]

The eradication covered three areas — Dusun Alue Garut, Alue Kubu and Alue Mudek in Desa Teupin Reusep.[7] Police and BNN said they would increase patrols to detect planting activity and had instructed provincial police chiefs to order district and sector police to map vulnerable areas.[7]

The follow-up covered 25 hectares estimated at 37,500 cannabis plants.[5] The plants were over one metre tall, ready to harvest and spread across three sites.[5] The three detainees allegedly acted as seeders, planters and seekers of plantation sites to evade officers.[5]

Personnel from Koramil 19/Sawang under Kodim 0103/Aceh Utara joined the joint operation, with dozens of personnel from Polda Aceh, Polres Lhokseumawe, Brimob, BNN Kota Lhokseumawe and TNI deployed to support the destruction.[8]

From the Sawang site on 27 October officers also seized 282 grams of cannabis seeds and 29 grams of dried cannabis.[11] The 30-31 October follow-up found three sites at Dusun Cot Mancang, Dusun Alue Garot and Dusun Alue Le Mudek in Desa Teupin Rusep totalling about 25 hectares.[12]