Jakarta, March 19 -- Indonesia's Forestry Ministry has denied that the discovery of marijuana fields at the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) is tied to restrictions on drone use in the tourist area and plans to shutter it.

"Marijuana plants were found in the TNBTS area in September 2024. The location was found from the narcotics case development by Lumajang Police," the ministry's Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Satyawan Pudyatmoko said in a statement on Wednesday.

He denied that the restrictions on drone use and plans to close down TNBTS were related to the marijuana field case.

Restrictions on drone use in conservation areas are regulated by Government Regulation Number 36 of 2024 concerning...