Indonesia seizes $192m ketamine haul from tanker in Andaman Sea raid
Authorities intercept Mongolian-flagged tanker carrying 1.16 tonnes of ketamine after suspected ship-to-ship transfer.
Indonesian authorities have seized 1.16 tonnes of ketamine worth approximately $192 million from a Mongolian-flagged tanker in a raid off North Sumatra, following a suspected ship-to-ship transfer of the drug in the Andaman Sea. Eight crew members were detained during the interception of MT Global 168 near Tanjung Balai Asahan on October 20.
The operation, led by Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency (BNN), Customs and Excise, and the National Police, targeted the 57-metre tanker after intelligence revealed irregular movements and a disabled automatic identification system (AIS) for over three days. Investigators believe the vessel carried out a clandestine transfer of ketamine in international waters during the second week of October.
How the tanker evaded detection before interception: Andaman Sea
The tanker, identified by its IMO number 9078347 and MMSI 457615000, departed from Pasir Gudang, Malaysia, in September and made a stop at Port Klang to refuel and replenish supplies. From there, it headed towards the Andaman Sea, where authorities suspect the ship-to-ship transfer took place. National Police chief General Suyudi Ario Seto noted that drug smugglers frequently exploit the region’s busy shipping lanes to move illegal cargo undetected.
October 20 14, the vessel was tracked passing through the Malacca Strait near Taiping, Malaysia, before reaching waters off Thailand’s Trang province two days later. On October 18 18, its AIS recorded 16 positions in an anchoring area, with speeds as low as 0.08 knots, movements investigators attributed to either anchoring or sea currents. The tanker’s AIS was switched off for three days and 17 hours, a tactic commonly used to avoid surveillance.
A joint task force comprising the BNN, Customs, and the police’s Criminal Investigation Department deployed two patrol boats, Customs vessel BC20006 and police boat KP Murai 4018, to intercept the tanker. The operation culminated at 3:05 a.m. on October 20 near Kuala Tanjung, where officers boarded the vessel and discovered 58 sacks of ketamine hydrochloride.
Crew detained and international links uncovered
The eight detained crew members included seven Indonesians and one Chinese national, though a separate report identified the eighth individual as Taiwanese. The group comprised the tanker’s captain, chief officer, chief engineer, second engineer, an oiler, and three able seamen. Suyudi valued the seized drugs at 3.48 trillion rupiah, or roughly $192 million, based on an estimated street price of 3 million rupiah per gramme.
Investigators traced the tanker’s identity through docking documents recovered from another vessel, Phu Sanh Singharaj, which Indonesian authorities had previously seized with 800 kg of ketamine. Malaysian police are now collaborating with their Indonesian counterparts to identify individuals and companies linked to the shipment. Inspector-General of Malaysian police confirmed that arrests could follow soon, stating,
“Malaysian police have identified individuals and companies suspected of being connected to the shipment and are trying to locate them.”
Khalid Ismail·Inspector-General of Police of Malaysia
Suyudi warned that the case underscored Indonesia’s growing role as both a market and a production hub for international drug syndicates.
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