Bengkalis Customs Synergy Captures Narcotics Network from Malaysia
Synergy and collaboration in law enforcement within 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 an integrated operation conducted on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, the joint team successfully foiled smuggling by an international network from Malaysia, seizing evidence comprising 28,967.91 grams of methamphetamine, 122,629 ecstasy pills, and 394 ethomidate items. The operation, valued at approximately Rp137.6 billion, is estimated to have saved 268,257 young people from the threat of drug abuse while offering potential state financial savings of up to Rp239.35 billion.
Head of the Bengkalis Customs Office, Novryansyah, said the discovery of this substantial case began with intelligence information received from the public regarding plans to bring a large quantity of narcotics through the sea route in the Bantan area of Bengkalis. “To follow up on the public report, we immediately coordinated with the police,” he said.
The joint team managed to stop a white Toyota Yaris on Jalan Soekarno-Hatta, Selat Baru Village, Bantan District. During a search of the vehicle, the team detained two suspects with the initials M (50) and HI (47) from Pekanbaru, along with evidence of dozens of packages of methamphetamine and ecstasy hidden in burlap sacks in the middle seat of the vehicle, intended for transport to Pekanbaru City.
Based on the interrogation of the two suspects, the joint team moved to develop the case at the motorcycle queue area of the Air Putih RoRo Port in Air Putih Village, Bengkalis District. At the second location, the team arrested two additional suspects with the initials UA (24), a university student, and TP (28), who admitted to acting on the orders of a controller with the initial A, who is still under investigation.
For alleged violations of Law Number 17 of 2006 on Customs and Law Number 35 of 2009 on Narcotics, all evidence and suspects have been handed over to investigators from the Bengkalis Police Narcotics Unit.
Through the success of this integrated operation, Bengkalis Customs together with the Bengkalis Police affirmed their commitment to continue tightening supervision to prevent the entry of drugs from abroad. “These transformative measures and the strengthening of cross-agency synergy are expected not only to enhance security in the outermost areas of Bengkalis Regency but also to serve as tangible proof of the state’s presence in providing maximum protection for the community and supporting the creation of a safe and conducive region,” Novryansyah concluded.