1.16 tonne ketamine haul: Indonesia probes Johor-based firm over seized tanker
Drugs reportedly worth RM784m.
JAKARTA - Indonesian law enforcement seized 1.16 tonnes of ketamine from a Mongolian-flagged vessel that originated in Malaysia, officials announced on Friday. The interception occurred in the waters near Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra.
The Malaysian-flagged ship departed from Pasir Gudang, transited through the Malacca Strait, and headed towards the Andaman Sea before authorities boarded it. Indonesian police, customs officials, and navy forces intercepted the vessel, leading to the arrest of seven Indonesians and one Taiwanese national, including the captain, engineers, and an oiler.
The drug haul comprised 58 sacks, weighing a total of 1.16 tonnes. Authorities estimate the street value of the seized ketamine at 3.48 trillion rupiah (US$192.64 million).
Earlier in the week, Indonesian authorities in Aceh province discovered 1.2 tonnes of methamphetamine in a clandestine laboratory, worth approximately 2.16 trillion rupiah. Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto emphasized the severity of international drug syndicates, stating that the drug seizure highlights the threat they pose to national security.
Indonesia maintains stringent drug laws; in 2015, it executed two Australians from the Bali Nine drug ring for attempting to smuggle heroin out of the popular tourist island of Bali.
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