Ministry of Public Works Employee Grows Marijuana at Home, Uses It Personally and Shares with Colleagues
BANDUNG, KOMPAS.com - A Government Employee with a Work Agreement (PPPK) at the Ministry of Public Works, identified as AS (49), is suspected of cultivating marijuana at his home in the Cileunyi area, Bandung Regency, West Java, for personal use.
AS was arrested by the Narcotics Investigation Unit of the Bandung City Police after dozens of marijuana plants were found growing in the backyard of his house.
The Head of the Narcotics Unit at the Bandung City Police, Commissioner Oliestha Ageng Wicaksana, stated that based on preliminary investigations, the suspect admitted that the marijuana he cultivated was for his own consumption.
However, investigators are still probing the potential involvement of others and the distribution network of the marijuana.
"According to the current preliminary confession from the suspect we detained, the marijuana is consumed personally and some is shared with his friends," Olie said on Friday (18/9/2026), as reported by Kompas.com.
During initial questioning, AS admitted he started cultivating marijuana in May 2026, having taught himself through internet research.
He said he was motivated to grow marijuana due to difficulties in obtaining the narcotic for consumption.
His interest in cultivating marijuana arose after receiving seeds from a longtime friend with whom he had previously used marijuana.
He emphasized that the seeds were given by his friend and not requested by him.
"He (the friend) gave them," AS told the police.
Police discovered eight marijuana plants approximately 4.5 months old, ranging in height from 91 cm to 1.8 meters, along with 28 seedlings about 10 days old, and two clear plastic bags containing marijuana seeds at the location.
Upon finding this evidence, and after ASβs positive urine drug test, police immediately secured the suspect.
According to Olie, the marijuana plants were located in the backyard of ASβs 36-square-meter house.
The cultivation area, about 1x2 meters in size, was covered with netting as a roof and equipped with five ultraviolet (UV) lights, pesticide sprayers, two bottles of pesticide liquid, two bottles of plant booster, pruning shears, and a Samsung mobile phone used for communication.
For his actions, AS is charged under Articles 114 and 111 Paragraph 2 of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics, which carry a penalty of 6 to 20 years imprisonment.
