MEDAN — Indonesian authorities have announced two major drug seizures in Sumatra within days, intercepting more than 1.1 tonnes of ketamine at sea and dismantling a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Aceh province.
National Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto said police and Customs officers intercepted the MT Global 168 tanker in the Strait of Malacca on Oct 20 as it travelled from Thailand towards Port Klang, Malaysia. The vessel, flying the Mongolian flag but owned by a Malaysia-based company, was escorted to Belawan Port in North Sumatra for inspection.
Officers recovered 1.16 tonnes of ketamine hydrochloride concealed in 58 sacks. The drugs were valued at an estimated 3.48 trillion rupiah, or about S$246 million. Eight crew members, seven Indonesians and one Taiwanese, were arrested.
Suyudi said intelligence agencies had begun tracking the tanker in August after receiving reports of suspicious activity. The seizure came just over two months after Indonesian authorities intercepted another ship carrying 1.3 tonnes of ketamine from Thailand near the Riau Islands.
In a separate operation on Oct 21, authorities raided a liquid methamphetamine laboratory in Pidie Regency, Aceh, seizing 1.2 tonnes of methamphetamine valued at about 2.16 trillion rupiah. Nine Indonesian nationals and two Chinese nationals were arrested during coordinated raids at several locations.
Indonesia maintains some of the world’s strictest anti-drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers, although a moratorium on executions has been in place for several years.