Indonesia seizes 1.3 tonnes of ketamine worth millions in major bust
The narcotics agency said eight crew members aboard the vessel – seven Myanmar nationals and one Taiwanese national – had been detained during the operation.
Indonesian authorities have made one of the country's biggest drug seizures, intercepting a vessel laden with 1.3 tonnes of ketamine worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The MV King Sun, a ship flying a foreign flag, was intercepted near the Riau Islands province as it headed towards Indonesia from Thailand, according to National Narcotics Agency chief Suyudi Ario Seto.
Surveillance intensified in February when intelligence suggested the vessel's cargo was suspicious. On August 7, a joint team discovered 65 sacks filled with the illegal substance hidden within the ship. After testing, the substances were confirmed to contain ketamine, an illicit party drug widely abused in Indonesia. The total value of the seized load is estimated to be around 2.07 trillion rupiah (US$116.2 million).
Authorities are still investigating the boat to determine if there are additional drugs on board. The crew, comprising seven Myanmar nationals and a Taiwanese individual, have been detained, with the investigation ongoing into the shipment's origin, destination, and the individuals involved.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Indonesia seizes 1.3 tonnes of ketamine worth millions in major bust freemalaysiatoday.com
- Indonesia seizes 1.3 tonnes of ketamine worth millions in major bust nst.com.my
