Medan Ship Crew Member Faces Death Penalty in Alleged Two-Tonne Methamphetamine Smuggling Case

A ship crew member from Medan Belawan sub-district, Medan, North Sumatra, named Fandi Ramadhan (26), has been handed a death penalty demand by prosecutors at Batam District Court, Riau Islands, in connection with an alleged methamphetamine smuggling case involving 1,995,130 grammes — approximately two tonnes — of the drug.

The family has rejected the prosecution’s demand. They suspect Fandi is also a victim, as he allegedly had no knowledge of the methamphetamine being smuggled aboard the vessel. The defendant is said to have only recently begun working on the Thailand-originating ship.

According to the Case Tracking Information System (SIPP) of Batam District Court, prosecutors demanded the death penalty for Fandi during a hearing held on 5 February 2025.

“We demand that the panel of judges at Batam District Court examining and adjudicating this case impose the death penalty on the defendant Fandi Ramadhan,” the prosecution’s demand stated.

In the primary indictment, prosecutors explained that the drug trafficking was carried out by Fandi together with several others: Hasiholan Samosir, Leo Chandra Samosir, Richard Halomoan Tambunan, Teerapong Lekpradub, and Weerapat Phongwan alias Mr Pong. Each defendant is being prosecuted separately.

Meanwhile, another suspect, Mr Tan alias Jacky Tan, remains on the wanted persons list.

The defence plea hearing is scheduled for Monday, 23 February.

Family testimony

Sulaiman (51) said his son Fandi had only graduated from a maritime academy in Aceh in 2022. He said Fandi had previously worked in Brandan, Langkat, but his earnings were insufficient.

Given the family’s modest circumstances, Fandi sought work on foreign vessels. He then received a job offer on a Thai ship.

Sulaiman said Fandi subsequently communicated with an agent and was instructed to prepare the necessary documents. Fandi also communicated with the ship’s captain, Hasiholan Samosir, who was likewise arrested and charged in the case.

As Sulaiman recalls, his son departed from home in May 2025, flying to Thailand. Several other individuals travelled with Fandi, though Sulaiman did not know the details.

His son’s travel and accommodation costs to Thailand were covered by the employer, so Fandi did not need to spend his own money.

“Everything was covered,” Sulaiman said at his residence in Lingkungan 8, Belawan Bahari sub-district, Medan.

Upon arriving in Thailand, Fandi communicated with his mother. At the time, he said he had not yet started working on the ship and was staying at a hotel for approximately ten days. The captain later informed them they would be transporting an oil tanker.

Fandi and several others then travelled by speedboat to the tanker.

At sea, Sulaiman said, Fandi observed cargo being loaded onto the tanker they were to operate. Sulaiman claimed his son did not know precisely what the cargo contained.

However, after the loading was complete, Fandi reportedly asked the ship’s captain to verify the cargo contents, fearing it might include dangerous materials. Fandi was unsatisfied with the captain’s answer and remained suspicious.

“He told the captain he was suspicious and asked to inspect the items first — whether there might be a bomb inside, Fandi said,” Sulaiman explained.

The vessel then departed Thailand for Indonesia. Upon reaching the waters off Karimun, the ship carrying Fandi and the others was intercepted by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Customs. Methamphetamine was subsequently found on board.

Sulaiman is convinced his son was not involved in the drug trafficking and had no knowledge that the ship was carrying narcotics.

The case against his son has proceeded through the courts. Sulaiman and his wife have had to travel back and forth to Batam to attend their eldest son’s trial. When the prosecution’s demand was read, Sulaiman was unable to travel to Batam due to lack of funds, whilst his wife attended thanks to contributions from neighbours.

Sulaiman’s hopes that his son would find success in maritime work have been shattered.

“I cannot accept him being given the death penalty. This should be properly investigated first. My son knows nothing about this. We are deeply unhappy with the prosecutor’s demand — I cannot accept my son being treated this way,” Sulaiman said through tears.

“I appeal to the President — I ask for justice. I ask for my son to be freed because he knows nothing; he was merely entrapped,” he said.

The case has since attracted national attention. Senior advocate Hotman Paris Hutapea has stepped in and met with the parents of Fandi — a crew member of the tanker Seadragon — in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, on Friday afternoon, 20 February.

At the time of publication, no official statement had been obtained from the prosecution regarding Fandi’s case.