Latest news with #MarthinusHukom
The Star
28-05-2025
- The Star
Narcotics agency, police foil largest drug smuggling attempt in Indonesian history
Indonesian Navy personnel inspecting packages of methamphetamine at Batam Customs Port, Riau Islands, on May 26. - Antara JAKARTA: Authorities recently foiled an attempt to smuggle two tonnes of methamphetamine into the country, marking the largest drug seizure in the nation's history. A joint task force from the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the National Police and the Indonesian Military seized the illicit drugs aboard a ship named Sea Dragon Tarawa in the waters off the Riau Islands last week. The vessel was intercepted as it sailed from the Andaman Sea toward Indonesian waters in Riau Islands Province. During the raid, authorities uncovered 67 boxes containing 2,000 packages of methamphetamine disguised as tea. The drugs were hidden in secret compartments throughout the vessel, including within its fuel tank. The Riau Islands Police arrested all six crew members on board, comprising four Indonesian nationals and two Thai citizens. They have been charged under Articles 112 and 114 of the 2009 Narcotics Law, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or the death sentence if convicted. The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief Comr Gen. Marthinus Hukom, said the raid was conducted after a five-month investigation and surveillance effort, which was launched after authorities received intelligence from international partners. 'This is the largest drug seizure in the history of narcotics enforcement in Indonesia,' Marthinus said at a press conference on Monday (May 26), as quoted by Kompas. The BNN has linked the methamphetamine shipment to a transnational drug syndicate operating out of the Golden Triangle, the notorious region where northeastern Myanmar borders parts of Thailand and Laos. The area has a long history of producing drugs, with trafficking networks extending as far as Japan and New Zealand. Marthinus said the drugs were destined for Indonesia as well as other South-East Asian countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines. The latest seizure comes after Indonesia's navy seized a ship carrying nearly two tonnes of methamphetamine and cocaine worth Rp 7 trillion (US$425 million) around the same area in the west of the archipelago earlier this month. One Thai national and four Myanmar nationals were also detained. The eleven suspects arrested in connection with both cases were all fishermen who were allegedly recruited by drug traffickers to smuggle narcotics to various countries. They were reportedly paid Rp 25 million per trip, with bonuses of up to Rp 50 million. Last week, authorities also foiled an attempt to smuggle 1.8 kilograms of cocaine, valued at Rp 12 billion, from the United Kingdom to Bali. The drugs were concealed in two separate packages, hidden inside dolls and stationery items, and sent via mail. Customs officers detected the narcotics during an X-ray scan and immediately alerted the Bali Police. Bali Police Chief Insp. Ge. Daniel Adityajaya said that a 43-year-old Australian man, identified only by his initials LAA, was arrested in connection with the case. 'He was apprehended at an apartment in North Kuta, Badung Regency, shortly after receiving the narcotics packages,' Daniel said on Monday. LAA is believed to be part of an international drug trafficking syndicate, and police allege that he received Rp 50 million from another trafficker to sell the cocaine to foreign tourists visiting the popular holiday island. LAA has been charged under the 2009 Narcotics Law and faces the possibility of the death penalty if found guilty. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
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. Delta Air Lines' 100th year takes flight Trump delivers Memorial Day remarks at Arlington National Cemetery Full interview: Jack McCain on "Face the Nation"
Arab News
27-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
Indonesia intercepts record meth haul from Golden Triangle
JAKARTA: Indonesia has marked the biggest seizure of drugs in its history as authorities intercepted 2 tonnes of methamphetamine coming from the Golden Triangle, the world's most notorious drug-producing region. The drug bust, carried out by a joint task force from the National Narcotics Agency, the Indonesian Armed Forces, Customs, and the National Police, was a five-month intelligence-based operation. As the Sea Dragon Terawa vessel, which carried the narcotics, entered Indonesian waters last week, it was escorted to Tanjung Uncang port in Batam for a customs search and crew inspection. During the search, authorities discovered cardboard boxes wrapped in clear plastic, each containing numerous green tea packages containing 2,000 packages of methamphetamine weighing 2,115 kg, the narcotics agency said in a press conference on Monday. 'The 2-tonne methamphetamine (bust) is the largest seizure in the history of drug eradication in Indonesia,' the narcotics agency's head, Marthinus Hukom, told reporters. Six crew members — four Indonesians and two Thais — have been arrested by police. Under Indonesian law, they could face the death penalty or life in prison if convicted. They are believed to be part of the same group that was behind another drug haul intercepted in the waters off Riau Islands earlier this month. The crew of the Aungtoetoe99 vessel — comprising nationals of Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand — was arrested on May 13 with 1.2 tonnes of cocaine and 768 kg of methamphetamine. Hukom said they were offered 50,000 baht ($1,500) per trip by a syndicate operating in the Golden Triangle region. The Golden Triangle, where the borders of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet, has been synonymous with the global drug trade. From the 1950s to the early 2000s, it was one of the largest heroin-producing regions. Recently, it has also become a major source of methamphetamine, especially meth pills and crystal meth, much of which is trafficked throughout Asia and beyond. 'Information from partners indicates that there is an international narcotics syndicate from the Golden Triangle region whose operations involve a network of illicit drug distribution in Indonesia,' Hukom said. 'The narcotics carried by the vessel Sea Dragon Terawa are suspected to have been intended for distribution to several countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.'
The Star
26-05-2025
- The Star
Two-tonne meth shipment busted off Sumatra
Local authorities seized about two tonnes of methamphetamine off Sumatra island in the biggest seizure of drugs in the country's history, its narcotics agency said. The agency linked the drugs to a syndicate in the Golden Triangle – an area where northeastern Myanmar meets parts of Thailand and Laos, which has a long history of producing drugs for distribution as far as Japan and New Zealand. Marthinus Hukom, chief of Indonesia's narcotics agency, told reporters yesterday that after five months of surveillance authorities last week sent ships to stop a vessel called 'Sea Dragon Tarawa' and discovered the methamphetamine in boxes. Hukom said the drugs were thought to have come from a syndicate in the Golden Triangle and were destined for Indonesia as well as other South-East Asian countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines. Four Indonesians and two Thai nationals were apprehended on the ship, he said. 'This seizure is the biggest drug discovery in the history of drug eradication in Indonesia,' he said. The latest seizure comes after Indonesia's navy seized a ship carrying nearly two tons of methamphetamine and cocaine worth US$425mil (RM1.8bil) around the same area in the west of the archipelago earlier this month. One Thai national and four Myanmar nationals were also detained. A record 190 tonnes of methamphetamine was seized in East and South-East Asia in 2023 as organised crime groups exploited weak law enforcement to traffic drugs, mainly via the Gulf of Thailand, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said in a 2024 report. — Reuters
The Advertiser
26-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Tonnes of meth seized in Indonesia's biggest drug haul
Indonesian authorities have seized about two tonnes of methamphetamine off Sumatra island in the biggest seizure of drugs in the country's history, its narcotics agency says. The agency linked the drugs to a syndicate in the Golden Triangle - an area where northeastern Myanmar meets parts of Thailand and Laos, which has a long history of producing drugs for distribution as far as Japan and New Zealand. Marthinus Hukom, chief of Indonesia's narcotics agency, told reporters on Monday that after five months of surveillance authorities last week sent ships to stop a vessel called Sea Dragon Tarawa and discovered the methamphetamine in boxes. Hukom said the drugs were thought to have come from a syndicate in the Golden Triangle and were destined for Indonesia as well as other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines. Four Indonesians and two Thai nationals were apprehended on the ship, he said. "This seizure is the biggest drug discovery in the history of drug eradication in Indonesia," he said. The latest seizure comes after Indonesia's navy seized a ship carrying nearly two tonnes of methamphetamine and cocaine worth $US425 million ($A650 million) around the same area in the west of the archipelago earlier in May. One Thai national and four Myanmar nationals were also detained. A record 190 tonnes of methamphetamine was seized in East and Southeast Asia in 2023 as organised crime groups exploited weak law enforcement to traffic drugs, mainly via the Gulf of Thailand, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said in a 2024 report. The announcement of the drug seizure comes as Indonesian authorities separately reveal an Australian man has been arrested for allegedly smuggling cocaine on the tourist island of Bali. Bali Police Chief Daniel Adityajaya said the 43-year-old was arrested May 22 after police raided his rented house near the popular tourist spot Kuta beach, allegedly with 1.7kg of cocaine. Indonesia has some of the world's strictest anti-narcotics laws and drug trafficking is punishable by death. with AP Indonesian authorities have seized about two tonnes of methamphetamine off Sumatra island in the biggest seizure of drugs in the country's history, its narcotics agency says. The agency linked the drugs to a syndicate in the Golden Triangle - an area where northeastern Myanmar meets parts of Thailand and Laos, which has a long history of producing drugs for distribution as far as Japan and New Zealand. Marthinus Hukom, chief of Indonesia's narcotics agency, told reporters on Monday that after five months of surveillance authorities last week sent ships to stop a vessel called Sea Dragon Tarawa and discovered the methamphetamine in boxes. Hukom said the drugs were thought to have come from a syndicate in the Golden Triangle and were destined for Indonesia as well as other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines. Four Indonesians and two Thai nationals were apprehended on the ship, he said. "This seizure is the biggest drug discovery in the history of drug eradication in Indonesia," he said. The latest seizure comes after Indonesia's navy seized a ship carrying nearly two tonnes of methamphetamine and cocaine worth $US425 million ($A650 million) around the same area in the west of the archipelago earlier in May. One Thai national and four Myanmar nationals were also detained. A record 190 tonnes of methamphetamine was seized in East and Southeast Asia in 2023 as organised crime groups exploited weak law enforcement to traffic drugs, mainly via the Gulf of Thailand, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said in a 2024 report. The announcement of the drug seizure comes as Indonesian authorities separately reveal an Australian man has been arrested for allegedly smuggling cocaine on the tourist island of Bali. Bali Police Chief Daniel Adityajaya said the 43-year-old was arrested May 22 after police raided his rented house near the popular tourist spot Kuta beach, allegedly with 1.7kg of cocaine. Indonesia has some of the world's strictest anti-narcotics laws and drug trafficking is punishable by death. with AP Indonesian authorities have seized about two tonnes of methamphetamine off Sumatra island in the biggest seizure of drugs in the country's history, its narcotics agency says. The agency linked the drugs to a syndicate in the Golden Triangle - an area where northeastern Myanmar meets parts of Thailand and Laos, which has a long history of producing drugs for distribution as far as Japan and New Zealand. Marthinus Hukom, chief of Indonesia's narcotics agency, told reporters on Monday that after five months of surveillance authorities last week sent ships to stop a vessel called Sea Dragon Tarawa and discovered the methamphetamine in boxes. Hukom said the drugs were thought to have come from a syndicate in the Golden Triangle and were destined for Indonesia as well as other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines. Four Indonesians and two Thai nationals were apprehended on the ship, he said. "This seizure is the biggest drug discovery in the history of drug eradication in Indonesia," he said. The latest seizure comes after Indonesia's navy seized a ship carrying nearly two tonnes of methamphetamine and cocaine worth $US425 million ($A650 million) around the same area in the west of the archipelago earlier in May. One Thai national and four Myanmar nationals were also detained. A record 190 tonnes of methamphetamine was seized in East and Southeast Asia in 2023 as organised crime groups exploited weak law enforcement to traffic drugs, mainly via the Gulf of Thailand, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said in a 2024 report. The announcement of the drug seizure comes as Indonesian authorities separately reveal an Australian man has been arrested for allegedly smuggling cocaine on the tourist island of Bali. Bali Police Chief Daniel Adityajaya said the 43-year-old was arrested May 22 after police raided his rented house near the popular tourist spot Kuta beach, allegedly with 1.7kg of cocaine. Indonesia has some of the world's strictest anti-narcotics laws and drug trafficking is punishable by death. with AP Indonesian authorities have seized about two tonnes of methamphetamine off Sumatra island in the biggest seizure of drugs in the country's history, its narcotics agency says. The agency linked the drugs to a syndicate in the Golden Triangle - an area where northeastern Myanmar meets parts of Thailand and Laos, which has a long history of producing drugs for distribution as far as Japan and New Zealand. Marthinus Hukom, chief of Indonesia's narcotics agency, told reporters on Monday that after five months of surveillance authorities last week sent ships to stop a vessel called Sea Dragon Tarawa and discovered the methamphetamine in boxes. Hukom said the drugs were thought to have come from a syndicate in the Golden Triangle and were destined for Indonesia as well as other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines. Four Indonesians and two Thai nationals were apprehended on the ship, he said. "This seizure is the biggest drug discovery in the history of drug eradication in Indonesia," he said. The latest seizure comes after Indonesia's navy seized a ship carrying nearly two tonnes of methamphetamine and cocaine worth $US425 million ($A650 million) around the same area in the west of the archipelago earlier in May. One Thai national and four Myanmar nationals were also detained. A record 190 tonnes of methamphetamine was seized in East and Southeast Asia in 2023 as organised crime groups exploited weak law enforcement to traffic drugs, mainly via the Gulf of Thailand, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said in a 2024 report. The announcement of the drug seizure comes as Indonesian authorities separately reveal an Australian man has been arrested for allegedly smuggling cocaine on the tourist island of Bali. Bali Police Chief Daniel Adityajaya said the 43-year-old was arrested May 22 after police raided his rented house near the popular tourist spot Kuta beach, allegedly with 1.7kg of cocaine. Indonesia has some of the world's strictest anti-narcotics laws and drug trafficking is punishable by death. with AP
