DistantNews
Support us
Indonesian forces seize 1.3 tons of ketamine from MV King Sun in Riau Islands
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

Indonesian forces seize 1.3 tons of ketamine from MV King Sun in Riau Islands

From CNN Indonesia · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The Indonesian Navy, along with BNN, BIN, Customs, and Polri, intercepted the MV King Sun, a Tanzania-flagged vessel, in the waters of Riau Islands carrying approximately 1.3 tons of ketamine.
  • Eight crew members, seven from Myanmar and one from Taiwan, were apprehended during the operation, which was the result of a three-month intelligence analysis by Customs.
  • The operation involved coordinated efforts and intelligence sharing between Indonesian agencies and Thailand, leading to the vessel's capture on August 5, 2026.

A significant drug smuggling operation was thwarted in the waters of the Riau Islands when the Indonesian Navy, in collaboration with the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Customs, and the National Police (Polri), seized approximately 1.3 tons of ketamine. The drugs were found aboard the MV King Sun, a vessel sailing under the Tanzanian flag.

The successful interdiction led to the arrest of eight crew members, comprising seven Myanmar nationals and one Taiwanese national. The operation culminated on August 5, 2026, following extensive intelligence gathering and coordination. A joint press conference was held on Sunday (August 9) in Batam to announce the seizure.

Customs officials revealed that the operation stemmed from a three-month intelligence analysis initiated in May 2026. Initial intelligence from Thailand indicated the MV King Sun was involved in illicit drug transportation. Despite a potential disruption to the plan in May, surveillance continued. The vessel's movement towards the Gulf of Thailand in July, a high-risk area for drug trafficking, further strengthened suspicions.

Further intelligence from POLRI in early August confirmed the likelihood of a drug smuggling attempt using the same ship. This comprehensive analysis paved the way for a coordinated operation. The KRI Kerambit-627 naval vessel detected the MV King Sun entering Indonesian waters on August 6, 2026, after which a Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) team boarded the ship and escorted it to Batam for a thorough joint inspection.

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

— Erwin SitumorangPlt. Director of Narcotics Interdiction at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, explaining the basis for the operation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog