Indonesia seizes 1.3 tonnes of ketamine worth millions in major bust
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A navy warship intercepted the vessel carrying the drugs on Aug 6 as it entered Indonesian territory.
PHOTO: AFP
- Indonesian authorities seized 1.3 tonnes of ketamine worth about S$147 million from a Tanzanian-flagged vessel near the Riau Islands on Aug 7 after months of surveillance.
- Eight crew members, mostly Myanmar nationals and one Taiwanese, were detained, while investigations continue into the shipment's origin and destination.
- This bust is among Indonesia's largest, following recent major drug seizures, reflecting the country's strict anti-drug laws despite a moratorium on executions.
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BATAM, Indonesia – Indonesian authorities have seized 1.3 tonnes of ketamine worth tens of millions of dollars from a foreign-flagged vessel, a top anti-drug official said on Aug 9, in one of the country’s largest drug busts.
The authorities received intelligence in February that the MV King Sun was sailing east from Thailand towards Indonesia with “suspicious” cargo, prompting months of surveillance, National Narcotics Agency chief Suyudi Ario Seto said.
A navy warship intercepted the vessel on Aug 6 as it entered Indonesian territory, he said.
“On Aug 7, the joint team found 65 sacks hidden inside the ship. After testing, the items were known to contain ketamine,” Suyudi told a news conference in Batam on Aug 9.
The load of an estimated 1.3 tonnes was worth around 2.07 trillion rupiah (S$149 million), he said. Authorities were still searching the boat to see if there was more.
Ketamine functions primarily as a fast-acting anaesthetic, but it is widely abused as an illicit party drug. Its distribution is tightly controlled and monitored in Indonesia.
State news agency Antara reported that the vessel was registered under a Tanzanian flag and that it was intercepted in waters around the Riau Islands province near Singapore.
Eight crew members aboard the vessel – seven Myanmar nationals and a Taiwanese – have been detained, the narcotics agency said.
“We are still investigating with regard to the origin of the load, port destination, who the sender and the receiver were,” Suyudi said.
Indonesian authorities seized 3.37 tonnes of cannabis buds in July when they foiled a smuggling attempt from Thailand, arresting 12 suspects.
In 2021, Indonesian police busted a smuggling ring that moved 2.5 tonnes of methamphetamine into the country from Afghanistan, with 17 suspects arrested.
Indonesia has the death penalty for traffickers, but it has maintained a moratorium on executions for several years. AFP