The discovery of illegal cannabis fields within the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) area has gone viral on social media.
According to a report by Tempo, the initial discovery of marijuana fields in Bromo occurred in 2024. The Lumajang Police first uncovered the case at the end of September 2024. Lumajang Police Chief, AKBP Mohamad Zainur Rofiq, stated that the case began with the revelation of marijuana distribution in Tempursari District, a district bordering Malang Regency.
Police carried out a further investigation for approximately a month and a half before finally obtaining a lead on the location of the marijuana cultivation site in the Argosari Village forest area, which is still within the TNBTS region.
“Officers took four days to reach the location. Some disguised themselves as hunters, while others posed as agricultural workers,” he stated.
The Head of BB TNBTS, Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha, also issued a statement in a press release to Indonesian national media.
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Rudijanta explained that on 18-21 September 2024, his team, in collaboration with the Lumajang Police, TNI, and officials from Argosari Village, Senduro District, Lumajang Regency, discovered a marijuana field in the Pusung Duwur Block, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Senduro and Gucialit TN Management Resort, TN Management Section Region III, TN Management Division Region II.
“The location of the marijuana plants was very well concealed, as it is situated in an area covered by dense shrubs with vegetation such as kirinyu, genggeng, and acacia saplings, on a steep slope,” stated Rudijanta.
Following this discovery, the Lumajang Police arrested and named four suspects, all of whom are residents of Argosari Village, Senduro District, Lumajang.
Allegations of Drone Restrictions in Bromo Due to Cannabis Fields
Climbers must pay IDR 2 million for permission to fly drones in the tourist areas of Mount Bromo and Mount Semeru.
The discovery of the illegal cannabis fields, coupled with this drone regulation, has led to speculation on social media. Some people suspect that the drone ban exists to conceal the presence of hidden marijuana plantations.
However, Rudijanta refuted these claims. He emphasised that the discovery of the marijuana fields has no connection with the restrictions on drone use.
He explained that regulations prohibiting drone flights on the Mount Semeru hiking trail have been in place since 2019, in accordance with SOP Number SOP.01/T.8/BIDTEK/ BIDTEK.1/KSA/4/2019 concerning Mount Semeru Climbing in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.
“The prohibition on drones during the climb is intended to prevent distractions for climbers, as drone activity could compromise their focus and pose a risk to safety, given that the climbing route is relatively hazardous,” Rudijanta clarified.
Impact on Climbing Activities in Bromo
Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) has assured that both the Mount Bromo tourist route and the Mount Semeru climbing route remain unaffected by this incident.
“The area where the marijuana plants were found is not on the Bromo or Semeru trails but rather on the eastern side of the TNBTS area,” stated Rudijanta.
With a distance of approximately 11 kilometres from the Bromo tourist route and 13 kilometres from the Semeru hiking trail, the marijuana field’s location is not directly related to tourism activities.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, TNBTS will intensify patrols and surveillance throughout the national park by working closely with the police and local communities.
Cover: Photo by Tito Noverian Putra/Pexels
