8 Facts About the Smuggling of 1.3 Tonnes of Ketamine on MV King Sun, Crew Promised Rp178 Million
The case of smuggling 1.3 tonnes of ketamine using the cargo ship MV King Sun in the waters of Berakit, Bintan, Riau Islands, has revealed a number of facts. Eight foreign nationals have been named as suspects with different roles in the operation.
The eight individuals consist of one Taiwanese national and seven Myanmar nationals. They were arrested after the ship they were aboard was intercepted by a joint team on Friday, 7 August 2026.
- Eight Foreign Nationals Arrested
The joint team detained eight crew members of MV King Sun. One suspect is a Taiwanese national with the initials TSM (43), while the other seven are Myanmar nationals, namely KH (29), MML (36), ML (55), PL (27), TA (51), ZO (38), and MML (44).
The eight suspects were then taken to Jakarta to undergo further investigation by Sub-directorate 3 of the Directorate of Narcotics Crime at the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri).
- Evidence Totalling 1.3 Tonnes
Officers found the illicit goods hidden in a concealed compartment located near the ship’s bridge.
From that location, officers seized 65 sacks containing 1,300 packages of Chinese tea. After weighing, the total amount reached approximately 1.3 tonnes.
Examination using a Rigaku device then confirmed that all samples tested positive for ketamine.
- Arrest Carried Out by a Joint Team
The operation to intercept MV King Sun was carried out by a joint team involving the Indonesian Navy through Fleet Command I, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), and Customs and Excise.
Although the arrest was conducted jointly, the investigation of the case was handed over to Bareskrim Polri.
Head of Sub-directorate III of the Directorate of Narcotics Crime at Bareskrim Polri, Senior Commissioner Zulkarnain Harahap, explained that the authority to investigate the case rests with Bareskrim Polri, specifically Sub-directorate 3 of the Directorate of Narcotics Crime.
- Different Roles of the Eight Suspects
The eight suspects did not hold the same positions on board the ship. Police stated that there was a captain, a manager, one person assigned to the engine room, and five crew members.
The ship’s manager was the only suspect of Taiwanese nationality. Meanwhile, the other seven suspects, including the captain and crew members, were Myanmar nationals.
Police have also communicated with the embassies of the suspects’ respective countries of origin regarding their designation as suspects and their detention.