Indonesian Police Arrest Directors of 'Whip Pink' Gas Distributor

Indonesian police have arrested two directors of a company for allegedly distributing N2O gas, marketed as "Whip Pink," which is sold in entertainment venues and online.

Brig. Gen. Pol. Eko Hadi Santoso, Director of Narcotics Crimes at the National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim), stated that the gas, often served in balloons, was sold to patrons at night entertainment spots in Jakarta. One manager admitted to ordering about 10 six-kilogram tanks monthly.

The company, PT SSS, also engaged in aggressive promotion, including an illegal "Buy 5 Get 1 Free" offer and unauthorized use of the Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) XV logo. This led to a cease-and-desist order from the DWP organizers, resulting in the logo's removal.

Economically, PT SSS implemented a two-tiered pricing system for Jakarta and Bali, with a price difference of up to 150,000 Indonesian rupiah per tank. Prices in Jakarta ranged from 390,000 rupiah for a 580-gram tank to 1.75 million rupiah for a 2.05-kilogram tank, with an average daily sale of 100 tanks. The company's gross turnover was estimated between 2 billion and 5 billion rupiah per month.

PT SSS marketed its products through online WhatsApp order forms that required customers to provide business names, addresses, and order quantities. However, the company allegedly did not verify this information, suggesting it was a mere formality. The two arrested directors, identified as AH and JH, face charges under Article 435 of Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health, which carries a maximum penalty of 12 years imprisonment.