Customs and Excise Foils Smuggling of 2.6 Tonnes of Liquid Methamphetamine During Indonesia's 81st Independence Day

The Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC), together with the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Riau Islands Regional Police, foiled an attempt to traffic approximately 2.6 tonnes of liquid methamphetamine and seized 1,570,000 cigarettes without excise stamps from the MV Ocean Porter.

The operation was carried out in the waters of the Riau Islands on 17–18 August 2026, during the period of the 81st Independence Day celebrations.

Director General of Customs and Excise, Lieutenant General (Ret.) Djaka Budhi Utama, stressed that the discovery was one of the main results of the operation. The very large quantity of narcotics indicates a serious attempt to bring narcotics into Indonesian territory via sea routes.

“This disclosure is also important evidence of the importance of intelligence-based surveillance of vessel movements that have indications of links to transnational narcotics trafficking networks,” Djaka said at a press conference on Friday (21/08/2026).

The disclosure began with the results of joint intelligence analysis by the Customs Narcotics Interdiction Directorate, Batam Customs, and the BNN Intelligence Directorate in early August 2026. The team found anomalies in the movement of a Tanzanian-flagged vessel, MV Ocean Porter, which was indicated to be carrying narcotics.

Based on profiling results, the vessel was suspected of conducting ship-to-ship narcotics activity in the Andaman–Malacca Strait waters before moving towards the Singapore Strait. The information was then followed up by Customs by increasing monitoring of the vessel’s movement until it entered Indonesian waters.

Subsequently, on 17 August 2026, a joint Customs and BNN team carried out a pursuit operation against the MV Ocean Porter.

The operation involved the Customs Marine Patrol Task Force of the Riau Islands Special Customs Regional Office and the Customs PSO of Tanjung Balai Karimun, supported by several Customs patrol vessels and the BNN Onboard Team.

At night, the team on Customs patrol vessels BC20011, BC 30005, BC1410 and BC 1305 managed to secure the MV Ocean Porter in the waters north of Tanjung Parit. The vessel was then towed to the Tanjung Balai Karimun Customs PSO Jetty for inspection.

An in-depth examination was carried out on 18 August 2026 involving elements of the Customs Narcotics Interdiction Directorate, the Riau Islands Special Customs Regional Office, Batam Customs, the Tanjung Balai Karimun Customs PSO, Tanjung Balai Karimun Customs, the Customs Marine Patrol Task Force, BNN and the Riau Islands Regional Police.

Officers also deployed a K-9 dog unit from Batam Customs as well as a number of narcotics detection and identification equipment, including a backscatter x-ray, rigaku, NIK (narcotics identification kit), and a defender omega belonging to BNN.

The examination found 8 drums and 1 tank containing liquid with a pungent odour hidden in the ship’s hold. Initial testing using the defender omega, rigaku, and NIK showed that the liquid tested positive for methamphetamine with an estimated gross weight of around 2.6 tonnes.

The operation is estimated to have saved around 14.15 million people from potential narcotics abuse.

Not stopping at the narcotics discovery, Djaka explained that during the examination of the MV Ocean Porter, officers also found plain cigarettes, or excisable tobacco products, without excise stamps of the GD brand suspected to originate from China. The goods were found in container number DRYU9201919.

“So besides liquid methamphetamine, we also found 157 boxes of plain cigarettes, or without excise stamps, of the GD brand in a container carried by the MV Ocean Porter. Each box contains 50 slops, with each slop consisting of 10 packs and each pack containing 20 sticks. Thus, the total evidence amounts to 1,570,000 cigarettes.”

“The value of the 1,570,000 cigarettes without excise stamps is estimated at Rp3,917,150,000, while the potential state loss successfully prevented amounts to Rp4,463,478,600,” he continued.

This disclosure shows that Customs supervision does not focus on only one type of violation. In a single means of transport, officers succeeded in uncovering the circulation of narcotics in large quantities while also finding millions of cigarettes that did not comply with excise provisions.

Customs, together with BNN and the Riau Islands Regional Police, will continue to develop the findings. Examination and further investigation are being carried out to uncover the origin of the goods, the destination of the shipment, the parties involved, and the possible connection to transnational narcotics networks.

In this operation, officers have detained 10 crew members, all of whom are Myanmar nationals. The crew members were taken to the Tanjung Balai Karimun Customs PSO Jetty for further examination and investigation.

Meanwhile, regarding the 1,570,000 cigarettes without excise stamps, officers will carry out an investigation process in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations in the field of excise.

“The disclosure of narcotics precursors and cigarettes without excise stamps on the MV Ocean Porter is evidence that the synergy between Customs, BNN and the National Police is able to thwart attempts to circulate illegal goods. We are committed to continuing to improve supervision and strengthen cooperation in protecting the public from the threat of narcotics and the circulation of illegal goods, while safeguarding Indonesian territory from transnational smuggling activities,” Djaka stressed.