A Singaporean national was taken into custody in Medan, Indonesia, on suspicion of masterminding a clandestine operation producing and distributing vapes packaged under the Labubu brand, a collectible toy line. The suspect, identified as TM, allegedly generated revenues exceeding 10 billion rupiah (US$565,000) through the scheme, according to Medan Police Narcotics Unit officials who announced the arrest on June 10.
TM collaborated with an Indonesian national, MWQ, to execute the operation. Both individuals were apprehended on May 17—TM at a hotel where he was suspected of arranging shipments of raw materials, and MWQ at a residential property in Kota Medan where manufacturing and packaging took place. Authorities are still searching for a third individual who assisted with marketing and distribution activities within Medan and surrounding areas.
The production facility operated from a rented residence in Kota Medan, leased for between five million and seven million rupiah monthly. The premises featured advanced security infrastructure incorporating facial recognition and fingerprint identification systems. Police investigations revealed that TM directed the broader distribution network from his base in Thailand, with supplies of raw materials sourced from China.
Financial records indicate the network utilised cryptocurrency payments to obscure transaction trails and evade detection. The operation accumulated approximately 10 billion rupiah in profits beginning in 2025, according to authorities. The enforcement action recovered 862 cartridge tubes, numerous vape bottles, and over 10,500 packages bearing Labubu imagery—materials the group allegedly deployed to facilitate sales and maintain its market presence.
