Customs Chief Uncovers 3.37-Tonne Narcotics Smuggling Operation Detected via X-Ray

The Directorate General of Customs and Excise, in collaboration with the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), has dismantled an international drug smuggling network. The network is suspected of operating through Malaysia, China, Indonesia, and Thailand, using official import channels to bring narcotics into Indonesia. Director General of Customs and Excise Djaka Budhi Utama stated during a press conference in Gresik, East Java, that the smuggling attempt was uncovered when officers detected suspicious items during an X-ray inspection of imported goods at Tanjung Priok Port. Further examination confirmed the items were narcotics. Customs then coordinated with the BNN to plan the next steps. Instead of making an immediate seizure at the port, authorities opted for a controlled delivery method to trace the recipient network and the final destination, as well as to identify all parties involved in the smuggling. The joint operation involved Customs and BNN personnel monitoring the container’s journey from Tanjung Priok Port to a warehouse in Gresik, East Java. Through this operation, the authorities successfully dismantled the network and seized 3.37 tonnes of cannabinoid flower buds transported in four containers. This discovery follows a BNN operation which indicated that this was a new modus operandi, using seemingly legitimate customs documents to deceive officers. The coordination from the initial inspection stage through to the delivery surveillance was a key factor in the successful dismantling of this international network. Djaka also urged the public to play an active role in eradicating narcotics, particularly by increasing vigilance against various forms of illegal goods smuggling.