Jakarta (VNA) - The Indonesian Navy has seized a ship carrying nearly two tonnes of methamphetamine and cocaine worth 7 trillion IDR (426 million USD) in the waters of Riau Island.
A Thai national and four Myanmar nationals were found aboard the vessel, Indonesian Navy spokesperson Commodore I Made Wira Hady Arsanta Wardhana said.
Officers apprehended the ship after it turned off its lights and increased its speed to try to flee Indonesian waters in the Tanjung Balai Karimun region, Riau Islands, according to the navy.
Officers seized nearly 100 yellow and white sacks holding about 1.2 tonnes of cocaine and 705 kilograms of methamphetamine worth 7 trillion IDR.
Indonesia has among the world's strictest anti-narcotics laws and drug trafficking is punishable by death. The navy said the ship, bearing a Thai flag, was taken to a navy base in Tanjung Balai Karimun. It did not give details of the crew members' origins apart from their nationalities.
Officials are still investigating where the drugs came from and where the ship was heading. The seizure is among the largest busts in the country./.
Indonesia prioritises drugs combat
Head of the National Narcotics Agency of Indonesia (BNN) Marthinus Hukom stated on January 22 that Prabowo Subianto is the first President to make drugs combat one of the country’s priority programmes, as outlined in the Asta Cita mission.
