Indonesian authorities seize 1.3 tons of ketamine from MV King Sun, arrest eight

Indonesian authorities have successfully thwarted a major drug smuggling operation, seizing approximately 1.3 tons of ketamine from the MV King Sun, a Tanzania-flagged vessel. The bust occurred in the waters of Tanjung Berakit, Bintan, in the Riau Islands province.

The joint operation, involving the Indonesian Navy, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Customs, and the National Police's Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim Polri), led to the arrest of eight crew members. Seven of the arrested individuals are citizens of Myanmar, and one is from Taiwan.

Customs officials revealed that the operation was the culmination of a three-month intelligence analysis that began in May 2026. Initial intelligence from Thailand indicated suspicious activity aboard the MV King Sun. Despite a potential plan being thwarted earlier, continuous monitoring persisted. The vessel's movement towards the high-risk area of the Gulf of Thailand in July 2026, coupled with further intelligence from Indonesian police in early August, prompted coordinated action.

The MV King Sun was detected entering Indonesian waters on August 6, 2026. A thorough inspection by a joint team, including forensic analysis, X-ray screening, and underwater examination, uncovered 65 sacks containing the illicit ketamine hidden in the ship's basement. The seized ketamine is estimated to have a street value ranging between Rp1.95 trillion and Rp4.55 trillion (approximately $120 million to $280 million USD).

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Based on comprehensive intelligence analysis, a joint operation was conducted to take action.