China helps dismantle major meth trafficking network in Southeast Asia

China has broken up a major transnational drug trafficking network in cooperation with Indonesia and Malaysia, seizing around 1.2 tonnes of liquid methamphetamine, China’s Ministry of Public Security said on Friday.

The operation was carried out on October 21 by Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency (BNN), which raided and shut down a large-scale drug processing and purification facility in Aceh, Indonesia, and arrested 11 people, with help from China’s National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC) and Malaysia’s National Anti-Drugs Agency, the ministry said.

The methamphetamine factory, housed in two shops, is believed to be the largest of its kind in Indonesia. Washing machines used to process methamphetamine, liquefied petroleum gas cylinders and other equipment and materials were also found at the site, according to local media reports.

The operation resulted in the largest number of arrests in a transnational drug trafficking investigation jointly conducted by China and other countries in recent years, and was one of the most comprehensive crackdowns on a drug trafficking network, according to the ministry.

Separately, Chinese authorities arrested seven individuals in China who are suspected of links to the network, according to an article published on the website of the Indonesian National Police (INP).

Indonesia’s Antara news agency reported that 10 of the 11 people arrested in Indonesia had been formally named as suspects, including eight Indonesian nationals and two Chinese nationals. The remaining person was classified as a witness.

The two Chinese suspects, identified as LJ and XM, allegedly acted as the main chefs or chemists processing liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine in the clandestine laboratory. They were said to have travelled from Malaysia to Aceh.

The Indonesian suspects allegedly served as assistant chefs, logistics suppliers, drivers and escorts for the operation, Antara reported.

On Wednesday, Lan Weihong, deputy secretary general of the NNCC, led a Chinese delegation to Jakarta and met with INP Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto and discussed the case.

Chinese anti-drug authorities first uncovered leads pointing to the international smuggling network in October 2025 and subsequently conducted an intensive investigation over the following year.

“In September of this year, China’s NNCC reported this information to the Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN), and both parties decided to cooperate to jointly eradicate transnational narcotics crimes,” Lan was quoted as saying.

Indonesian investigators are also exploring links to other cases, including the discovery of a vessel in the Medan area and a Malaysian citizen suspected of being involved in the vessel’s ownership, said Suyudi.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating transnational drug networks through the exchange of intelligence information and law enforcement collaboration.