MV King Sun had smuggled ketamine three times before Indonesian interception

The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) Narcotics Crime Directorate has revealed that the MV King Sun had smuggled ketamine on three occasions to various countries, including an attempt to Indonesia that was successfully foiled by law enforcement. Commissioner Zulkarnain Harahap, Head of Sub-Directorate III of the Narcotics Crime Directorate, stated on Thursday that the first shipment took place in February 2026, destined for the Philippines. “The quantity was almost the same, between 60 and 65 sacks,” he said. The second shipment was bound for Taiwan with a similar amount of ketamine. The third shipment, heading to Indonesia, carried 1,298 kilogrammes, or nearly 1.3 tonnes, of ketamine. However, the delivery to Indonesia was successfully thwarted by a joint team comprising the Indonesian National Police, the Indonesian Navy, and other agencies. Eight crew members, consisting of one Taiwanese national and seven Myanmar nationals, have been named as suspects in the alleged ketamine smuggling. In carrying out their duties, the crew members received salaries and bonuses upon completing each job. “Then, within seven hours, they waited and loaded the MV King Sun with ketamine,” he stated. After loading the cargo, the vessel set course for the waters off Batam. However, en route in the North Natuna Sea, the ship was intercepted by the joint team. Zulkarnain also disclosed that his team had detected the MV King Sun’s ketamine smuggling activities since 1 June 2026. “Then, if I am not mistaken, on the 3rd, we held a coordination meeting with the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the National Police, Customs and Excise, and Fleet Command I. A joint operation was then carried out,” he said. Previously, the Indonesian Navy, together with the joint team, foiled the suspected smuggling of 1,298 kilogrammes of ketamine from the MV King Sun in the waters north of Tanjung Berakit, Riau Islands, on 6 August 2026.