TULUNGAGUNG – The firecracker case in Boyolangu, Tulungagung, has escalated after police detained two teenagers. Officers also uncovered explosive materials at a suspect’s home during Ramadan patrols.
Officers from the Boyolangu Police Sector apprehended the youths early Sunday (March 1) in Tulungagung, East Java. The arrests followed the detention of five other teenagers in separate firecracker-related incidents days earlier.
According to police, the incident began at around 2:30 a.m. Officers conducting a sahur-on-the-road (SOTR) patrol heard a loud explosion and immediately traced the sound to its source.
At approximately 3:00 a.m., officers found two boys allegedly preparing to ignite more firecrackers. Police identified them as RE, 16, and DM, 11, both residents of Boyolangu district. Officers confiscated two unexploded firecrackers at the scene.
Police later expanded the investigation to the home of one teenager. There, officers discovered gunpowder and equipment suspected of being used to assemble homemade firecrackers.
Boyolangu Police Chief AKP Retno Pujiarsih confirmed the arrests. She said authorities brought the teenagers and their parents to the Boyolangu police station for questioning.
“We detained the two teenagers after officers found them attempting to ignite firecrackers during the SOTR patrol,” she said.
Investigators revealed that the suspects purchased gunpowder and fuses through Facebook Marketplace on February 22, 2026. They completed the transaction via cash on delivery near Pasar Burung in Beji village, Boyolangu district, on February 24 at around 4:30 p.m.
After obtaining the materials, the teenagers allegedly assembled the firecrackers themselves. They rolled paper, inserted gunpowder and fuses, and stored the devices. Later, they attempted to ignite them.
Police seized 0.5 kilograms of white gunpowder and 0.5 kilograms of dark gray gunpowder. Officers also confiscated one kilogram of paper sheets, four paper rolls, a PVC pipe, scissors, a screwdriver, two fuses, a hammer, and remnants of exploded firecrackers.
Authorities suspect the teenagers violated Article 306 of Indonesia’s Criminal Code. The article prohibits the unauthorized production, possession, or storage of explosive materials.
Police also urged parents to strengthen supervision of their children, especially during Ramadan. Firecracker incidents tend to increase during the holy month.
“We will intensify patrols, particularly during vulnerable pre-dawn hours, to maintain public order and safety in Boyolangu,” Retno said.
Officials reminded residents that manufacturing or playing with firecrackers poses serious safety risks. Such activities also carry legal consequences.