Police probe drug syndicate link to ship seized in Indonesia

Malaysian police are collaborating with Indonesian authorities to investigate a connection between a Malaysian drug syndicate and the seizure of 1.16 tonnes of ketamine hydrochloride aboard a tanker in Indonesian waters. The ship, a Mongolian-flagged vessel named MT Global 168, was operating under the name of Malaysian company Makmur Marine Petroleum.

The seizure, made off the coast of North Sumatra on October 20, led to the discovery of 58 sacks containing the drugs. NCID director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan stated that Malaysian police are seeking information to determine whether any members of Malaysian-based drug syndicates were involved in the operation.

Hussein revealed that the tanker had departed from a facility in Pasir Gudang, Johor, before stopping at Port Klang for refueling. After this, it is believed the vessel headed towards the Andaman Sea, where it conducted a ship-to-ship transfer of cargo in international waters. Suspicious behavior was noticed as the tanker displayed unusual sailing patterns between October 14 and 18, switching off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) for three days to avoid detection. Eight crew members were detained, seven of them Indonesian men and one Chinese national.

Indonesian police have identified the company under which the tanker was registered as Makmur Marine Petroleum from Johor. The Indonesian authorities claim to have monitored the vessel since August due to intelligence suggesting suspicious activities related to international drug trafficking. They also noted that the syndicate may have changed the vessel's name to avoid detection.

The drugs seized are estimated to be worth 3.48 trillion rupiah (approximately RM800 million) and potentially affected 5.8 million people. Indonesian authorities are continuing their investigations into the ownership, operation of the vessel, and the individuals behind the trafficking operation.