Cops probe Malaysian links to Indonesia’s 1.16-tonne ketamine haul

The Bukit Aman narcotics criminal investigation department (NCID) will collaborate with the Indonesian national police (Polri) to investigate possible links between Malaysian-based syndicates and the seizure of 1.16 tonnes of ketamine from a tanker off Tanjung Balai Asahan, northern Sumatera, on Tuesday.

Bukit Aman NCID director Hussein Omar Khan said the department was also investigating the vessel’s links to Malaysia and the possible involvement of Malaysians in the syndicate.

“We will continue to work with Polri to obtain further information regarding this case, including the potential involvement of syndicates operating in Malaysia,” he told Bernama today.

Hussein said the NCID was informed by Indonesian authorities yesterday that the vessel had been detained after 1,160 packages of ketamine, weighing a total of 1.16 tonnes, were found concealed in 58 sacks.

He said preliminary investigations by the Indonesian authorities indicated that the vessel had made suspicious movements between Oct 14 and 18 before it was intercepted on Oct 20.

“The vessel is believed to have departed from a docking location in Pasir Gudang, Johor, before stopping at Port Klang to refuel, after which it headed towards the Andaman Sea.

“In that area, the vessel is believed to have carried out a ship-to-ship cargo transfer on the high seas,” he said.

Hussein added that the vessel’s automatic identification system was believed to have been switched off for three days and its movements were deemed suspicious.

Eight crew members were detained, comprising seven Indonesians aged between 25 and 71, and a 42-year-old Chinese national, he said.

The 57m-long tanker, identified by the transponder name Global 168, IMO number 9078347 and MMSI 457615000, was sailing under the Mongolian flag.

Indonesian media previously reported that authorities had seized more than two tonnes of narcotics, estimated to be worth US$300 million (about RM1.3 billion), in two operations in Sumatera. One of the seizures involved a tanker reportedly linked to a company based in Johor Bahru.

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