Indonesia Seizes 2.6 Tons Of Liquid Meth From Tanzanian Ship In Riau Waters

Authorities in Indonesia seized 2.6 tons of liquid methamphetamine from a vessel sailing under the flag of Tanzania in Riau waters in an operation coordinated by the narcotics, customs and police officers.

The ship was caught with other illicit cargo as well, which included untaxed cigarettes, probably from China.

Director of Enforcement of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Brigadier General Roy Hardi Siahaan said that the operation was organised after they received information about drugs being shipped from Sarawak in Malaysia into Indonesian waters.

The ship called MV Ocean Porter was then towed to the Karimun Customs Base Port in the Riau Islands for an inspection using K9 dogs, TruNarc analysers and drug testing kits.

During the inspection, officers found a liquid suspected to be methamphetamine inside 8 drums and the vessel’s water tank.

“We found 2.6 tons of Class I narcotics in the form of liquid methamphetamine. We are conducting further investigations,” Siahaan added.

Head of Riau Islands Customs and Excise Sodikin said that the vessel also had a 40-foot container with 157 master cases of cigarettes, which are probably from China, but officers are continuing to trace and inspect it.

Additionally, authorities also detained 10 crew members onboard the ship, all of whom hailed from Myanmar. They are currently being interrogated to find the broader smuggling networks.