Bengkalis Customs and Police Dismantle Malaysian Narcotics Network via Sea Route
Synergy and collaboration in law enforcement in Indonesia’s maritime border areas have again yielded significant results through a narcotics operation by Bengkalis Customs together with the Bengkalis Police and Bantan Police.
In the integrated operation which took place on Wednesday (12/8/2026), the joint team foiled smuggling by an international network from Malaysia, seizing evidence of 28,967.91 grams of methamphetamine (shabu), 122,629 ecstasy pills, and 394 pcs of ethomidate.
The seizure, with an economic value of around Rp 137.6 billion, is estimated to be able to save 268,257 young people from the threat of drug abuse while also providing potential state financial savings of up to Rp 239.35 billion.
Head of the Bengkalis Customs Office, Novryansyah, said the disclosure of this extraordinary case began with intelligence information received from the public regarding plans to bring narcotics in via the sea route in the Bantan area, Bengkalis.
“To follow up on the public report, we immediately coordinated with the police,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (19/8/2026).
Then, on Wednesday (12/8/2026) at around 06.07 WIB, the joint team managed to stop a white Toyota Yaris on Jalan Soekarno-Hatta, Selat Baru Village, Bantan District.
In searching the vehicle, the joint team arrested two suspects with the initials M (50) and H I (47) from Pekanbaru along with evidence of dozens of packages of shabu and ecstasy hidden in burlap sacks in the middle seat of the vehicle, intended to be taken to Pekanbaru City.
Based on the results of interrogation of the two suspects, the joint team immediately moved to develop the case at the motorcycle queue area of the Air Putih RoRo Port, Air Putih Village, Bengkalis District.
At the second location, the joint team arrested two additional suspects with the initials U A (24), a university student, and T P (28), who admitted to acting on the orders of a controller with the initial A who is currently still under investigation.
For alleged violations of Law Number 17 of 2006 concerning Customs and Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics, all evidence along with the suspects have been handed over to investigators of the Bengkalis Police Narcotics Unit.
Through the success of this integrated enforcement operation, Bengkalis Customs together with the Bengkalis Police affirmed their commitment to continue tightening supervision at the front line of the archipelago in order to stem the entry of illicit goods from abroad.
“This transformative step and strengthening of cross-agency synergy is expected not only to strengthen security in the outermost areas of Bengkalis Regency, but also to serve as proof of the state’s presence in providing maximum protection for the community and supporting the creation of a safe and conducive area,” concluded Novryansyah.