Indonesia reels in record haul of meth from fishing boat
Indonesian authorities seized two tons of crystal methamphetamine hidden on a fishing boat and arrested six people in the country's biggest-ever drug bust, officials said Monday.
The National Narcotics Agency, or BNN, said Thai authorities had notified them that the Indonesian-flagged vessel, sailing from the Andaman Sea to Batam Island, could be carrying a huge haul of narcotics.
Indonesian authorities said they intercepted the boat in waters off the Riau islands last Tuesday, and found 2,000 packages of crystal meth stuffed into cardboard boxes hidden within the ship.
"The result of the search is two tonnes of crystal methamphetamine," BNN chief Marthinus Hukom told a press conference. "This is the biggest haul in Indonesia's narcotics bust history."
Authorities released images of handcuffed suspects wearing orange jumpsuits and face masks sitting in front of hundreds of packages of the alleged drugs.
Marthinus estimated the drugs to be worth more than $4 million.
Indonesian authorities investigated the case over the last five months, working closely with Thai authorities.
The illicit drugs were produced in the "Golden Triangle" region where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet, and were smuggled by an organized crime group working with Indonesian traffickers, Marthinus said.
Six people onboard the fishing boat were arrested, including four Indonesians and two Thai nationals.
The crew told authorities they were fishermen recruited by the drugs syndicate which promised to pay them 50,000 Thai Baht ($1,500) and a $3,000 bonus.
Marthinus said a fugitive from Thailand was behind the operation and that Indonesia would issue a red notice for the trafficker.
Monday's drug bust was the second major drug seizure this month. Indonesian authorities previously seized 1.2 tons of crystal meth and more than 700 kilograms of cocaine inside a Thailand-flagged fishing boat near the Riau islands. Authorities said they arrested five people and released an image of the suspects on ship with packages of drugs and armed officers behind them.
In a separate case, Indonesian authorities arrested an Australian on Monday for allegedly smuggling cocaine on the tourist island of Bali, a charge that could carry the death penalty, officials said Monday.
Indonesia has extremely strict drug laws, and convicted smugglers are sometimes executed by firing squad.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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