A Dutch citizen, Nirul Rashim Abdoelrazak, faces a proposed prison sentence of nine years after prosecutors concluded that he had illegally cultivated and possessed Class I narcotics in the form of marijuana at a rented house in Denpasar, Bali.
The sentencing demand was presented during a hearing at the Denpasar District Court on Tuesday, 19 May 2026. Prosecutors stated that the defendant had been legally and convincingly proven to have planted, maintained, stored, controlled, and provided marijuana plants at the property in the Ubung Kaja area of North Denpasar.
Public Prosecutor, I Made Lovi Puspawan, stated in the indictment that the defendant violated Article 111 paragraph (2) of Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics in conjunction with the updated provisions of Indonesia’s Criminal Code.
“Without the right or against the law, he planted, maintained, possessed, stored, controlled, or provided Class I narcotics in the form of plants weighing more than 1 kilogram or more than five plants,” he said, as quoted from Detikbali.
The prosecution also requested a financial penalty.
“We demand that the panel of judges sentence the defendant Nirul Rashim Abdoelrazak to nine years in prison, minus time served, and order that the defendant remain in detention,” the prosecutor said.
In addition to imprisonment, prosecutors demanded a fine of Rp1 billion. If unpaid, the fine would be replaced with an additional 80 days of imprisonment.
Police Raid Uncovered Hydroponic Marijuana Plantation
The case originated from a police operation conducted by Bali Regional Police officers on 1 October 2025 at a rented house on Jalan Bina Kusuma IV in Ubung Kaja, North Denpasar. Investigators searched the property after receiving information regarding suspected narcotics activity involving foreign nationals.
During the operation, officers discovered a hydroponic marijuana cultivation setup inside the house. The equipment included an indoor growing tent, specialised lighting systems, blowers, humidifiers, and hydroponic cultivation tools.
Police also seized multiple marijuana plants in different growth stages. Evidence presented in court showed that officers found 14 mature marijuana plants of varying heights, alongside dozens of younger seedlings planted in containers and pots. Investigators recorded 67 seedlings measuring approximately five centimetres and another 24 seedlings measuring around ten centimetres.
According to the prosecution, the cultivation activity had allegedly been carried out inside the rented property and was not authorised for research, medical, or any legal purpose under Indonesian law.
Investigation Previously Linked the Case to Foreign Nationals
Before the prosecution hearing, Bali Regional Police publicly disclosed details of the wider investigation and identified two foreign nationals connected to the case. Authorities stated that those identified were a Dutch man with the initials NR, aged 31, and a Russian woman with the initials KV, aged 33.
Investigators stated that the rented house had been arranged into several sections designed for different cultivation stages, including nursery areas, planting rooms, and hydroponic growing spaces.
The court proceedings remain ongoing, and the prosecution’s demand has not yet become a final verdict. The panel of judges will issue a decision in accordance with Indonesian criminal procedure.
