Indonesia
Indonesia Confiscates 1.16 Tons of Ketamine from Mongolian-Flagged Vessel
National police intercepted a tanker off North Sumatra and arrested eight people after discovering a narcotics shipment valued at approximately 192.64 million US dollars.
Photo: Calistemon / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Indonesian authorities have successfully confiscated a massive shipment of ketamine totaling 1.16 tons, as reported by Reuters on October 23, 2026. The substantial haul of narcotics was discovered concealed within 58 sacks on board a tanker vessel. National Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto announced the details of the operation, which represents a significant blow to illegal drug trafficking in the region.
The tanker, which was flying the flag of Mongolia, was intercepted by law enforcement in the waters situated off Tanjung Balai in North Sumatra. Prior to its seizure, the vessel had departed from Pasir Gudang in Malaysia and navigated through the Strait of Malacca. Investigators determined that the ship was heading toward the Andaman Sea when it was stopped by the police.
The financial impact of the seizure is considerable, with the street value of the 1.16 tons of ketamine estimated at 3.48 trillion rupiah. This figure is equivalent to approximately 192.64 million US dollars. The discovery of the 58 sacks aboard the ship underscores the scale of the illegal trade that authorities managed to disrupt in North Sumatran waters.
Following the interception, police arrested eight individuals who were on the vessel. This group of suspects consists of seven Indonesian citizens and one national from Taiwan. Among those apprehended by the authorities were the ship’s captain, an oiler, and a technician. All eight individuals are currently in custody as part of the ongoing investigation into the narcotics shipment.
The successful operation was made possible after investigators identified a suspicious anomaly in the tanker's automatic identification system signal. This electronic irregularity alerted officials to the vessel's movements. Based on the evidence gathered so far, the police suspect that the crew intended to facilitate a ship-to-ship transfer of the illegal drugs before reaching their final destination.
Source: Reuters
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