Can You Bring Japanese or Korean Cold Medicine to Bali?

Many over-the-counter cold medicines from Japan are not safe to bring to Bali, because they contain dihydrocodeine (ジヒドロコデインリン酸塩), which Indonesia lists as a Class III narcotic. Cold, cough or pain medicine without codeine or dihydrocodeine is generally fine for personal use, up to 30 tablets per product without a prescription.

Everything below was checked on 30 October 2026 against Health Ministry Regulation 15/2025, BPOM Regulation 28/2023, the Japanese (PMDA) and Korean (MFDS) drug databases, and Japan's Ministry of Health (MHLW) information sheet for Indonesia. For prescription medicine in general, see the rules for bringing prescription medicine to Bali.

Why is ordinary cold medicine a problem?

In Japan, dihydrocodeine is sold over the counter as a cough suppressant in combination cold remedies. In Indonesia, Health Ministry Regulation No. 15 of 2025 on narcotic classification (signed 21 November 2025) puts DIHYDROCODEINE and CODEINE on the Class III narcotics list. "Over the counter" at home means nothing once you land at Ngurah Rai.

Which Japanese products contain dihydrocodeine?

Examples from official product data on PMDA and manufacturer documents:

• Pabron Gold A (Taisho), tablets and granules: dihydrocodeine phosphate 8 mg per dose, plus dl-methylephedrine 20 mg.
• Lulu Attack EX (Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare): dihydrocodeine phosphate 24 mg and dl-methylephedrine 60 mg per day.
• Benza Block L (Alinamin): dihydrocodeine phosphate 24 mg and pseudoephedrine 135 mg per 6 tablets.

Formulas differ between versions of the same brand. Pabron 50, for example, has no dihydrocodeine. Read the box and look for ジヒドロコデイン or コデイン.

What about Korean cold medicine?

Two popular Korean cold syrups we checked in the MFDS database (e약은요) contain no codeine. Pancol S (판콜에스) has acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, caffeine, guaifenesin and 17.5 mg dl-methylephedrine. Pancol A (판콜에이) has acetaminophen, guaifenesin and phenylephrine. Cough products with dihydrocodeine do exist in Korea, so look for 코데인 or 디히드로코데인 on the label. We found no official guidance from the Korean Embassy in Jakarta specifically on cold medicine; if in doubt, ask the embassy before you fly.

Are pseudoephedrine and methylephedrine banned?

Neither appears as a narcotic in Regulation 15/2025 or as a psychotropic in Regulation 14/2025. Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are controlled as precursors under Government Regulation 44/2010, which means their trade is tightly regulated, not that patients may not have them. Pseudoephedrine products without codeine, in original packaging and personal quantities, are generally not a problem. We found no specific mention of dl-methylephedrine in Indonesian rules, so we cannot confirm its status.

Dextromethorphan, sleep aids and painkillers?

• Dextromethorphan (DXM): not a narcotic. In 2013 BPOM cancelled the licences of single-ingredient DXM products because of abuse, but combination products are still sold. Combination cold medicine with DXM and no codeine is generally fine in personal amounts.
• Japanese OTC sleep aids such as Drewell contain diphenhydramine, an antihistamine, not a psychotropic. For melatonin and prescription sleeping pills, see the melatonin and sleeping pill rules.
• Painkillers: Loxonin S (loxoprofen) and Bufferin A (aspirin) contain no narcotics. EVE A combines ibuprofen with allylisopropylacetylurea, a mild sedative that does not appear on the Regulation 14/2025 psychotropics list. Its Indonesian status is unclear from the sources we checked, so pack only what you need.

What if you really need a dihydrocodeine product?

Official sources disagree. The MHLW sheet for Indonesia (from the Japanese Embassy, checked 30 October 2024) says Class II and III narcotics for treatment may be brought in with the form from BPOM Regulation 28/2023, a doctor's letter, a copy of the prescription and the label, translated into English or Indonesian, for up to 2 months. The BPOM summary quoted in our prescription medicine article says narcotics may not be brought in. An OTC box bought without a prescription cannot meet those document requirements, so the safest choice is to leave it at home.

How much can you bring?

• Tablets, capsules, pills: up to 30 per product per person without a prescription.
• Creams, ointments, syrups, liquids: up to 3 packs per product.
• With a doctor's prescription: up to 90 days' supply.
• Keep everything in the original labelled packaging, not a pill organiser.

Cold medicine based on paracetamol and pseudoephedrine is sold at major Bali pharmacies such as Kimia Farma, Guardian and Century, so there is no need to bring a large supply. Which medicines need a prescription here is covered in buying antibiotics at Bali pharmacies. Other baggage rules are on our Bali rules page.

FAQ

Could I go to prison over one box of Pabron Gold A?

We found no news reports of tourists prosecuted over Japanese cold medicine. The realistic risk is inspection and confiscation, but legally, possessing a Class III narcotic without authorisation is still a crime under Law 35/2009. Do not gamble on it.

It is already in my suitcase. What now?

Declare it to Customs in the red channel and show the packaging. Declaring beats being found during scanning. If the item is held, the steps are in our article on goods held by Customs.

Can I have it posted to my hotel?

Not for anything containing codeine or dihydrocodeine. Ordinary medicine sent by post is also restricted under BPOM Regulation 28/2023 and needs a separate form.