Jakarta, ThedailyID — Indonesian authorities have arrested drug convict Bayu Wicaksono, also known as Encek, in Tachileik, Myanmar, after he escaped from prison in Lampung in April 2024.
Bayu was arrested on July 17, 2026, in the area bordering Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. He was later returned to Indonesia and arrived in the country on Sunday night, August 30.
Deputy Director of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency narcotics division, Kombes Albert Raden Deddy Sulistyo Nugroho, said Bayu had moved between several countries while evading authorities.
“After leaving Indonesia for Malaysia, he went to Thailand, and then he was arrested in Tachileik, at the border of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar,” Albert said, Monday (31/08).
Authorities also allege that Bayu continued operating his international drug network while on the run. According to Albert, he remained involved in controlling a cross-border methamphetamine network from overseas.
“While he was fleeing to Malaysia, he continued to control his methamphetamine network across countries,” Albert said.
Bayu originally became a fugitive after escaping from Sukadana Class IIB Prison in East Lampung on April 21, 2024. He had been serving a sentence in a drug-related case and was subsequently placed on Indonesia’s wanted list.
Following his return, Bayu will undergo intensive questioning by investigators from the National Police’s narcotics division as authorities continue investigating his alleged activities during his time abroad.
