Sea Dragon Ship Captain Sentenced to Life for 2-Tonne Methamphetamine Smuggling

A continuation hearing in a drug smuggling case involving nearly two tonnes of methamphetamine was held at Batam District Court in Riau Islands on Monday, 9 March. The panel of judges handed down differing sentences to the three defendants. Leo Chandra Samosir, serving as the ship’s helmsman, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Two other defendants—Richard Halomoan Tambunan as chief officer and Hasiholan Samosir as captain of MT Sea Dragon—received life sentences.

The hearing was presided over by Chief Judge Tiwik with two associate judges, Douglas Napitupulu and Randi. “We impose a sentence on defendant Leo Chandra Samosir of 15 years imprisonment,” said Chief Judge Tiwik when reading the final verdict on Monday afternoon, 9 March.

In its deliberation, the panel of judges considered the nearly two-tonne quantity of narcotics as an aggravating factor for Leo Chandra. The panel found Leo Chandra proven beyond reasonable doubt of conspiring without legal authority or acting as an intermediary in the sale of Class I methamphetamine with weight exceeding five grammes, as stated in the Public Prosecutor’s primary indictment.

Previously, at a hearing on 5 February 2026 at Batam District Court, Leo Chandra Samosir faced a death sentence demand from the Public Prosecutor. In the same case, defendants Richard Halomoan Tambunan and Hasiholan Samosir were also convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The panel of judges considered that the quantity of methamphetamine in this case reached nearly two tonnes and therefore posed a potential threat to the nation’s future generations if distributed in Indonesia. Regarding Richard Halomoan Tambunan, the judges assessed that the defendant, in his position as chief officer, should have borne responsibility for controlling the ship’s cargo. Consequently, the judges found no mitigating circumstances for this defendant, given that the narcotics successfully entered the vessel.

In handing down the sentence against Richard, the judges considered Article 114(2) read together with Article 132(1) of Indonesian Law No. 35 of 2009 on Narcotics, Law No. 8 of 1981 on Criminal Procedure Code, Law No. 21 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, and Indonesian Law No. 1 of 2026 on Criminal Sentence Adjustment. “We impose a life sentence on defendant Richard Halomoan Tambunan,” said Chief Judge Tiwik when reading the final verdict on Monday afternoon, 9 March.

MT Sea Dragon’s captain, Hasiholan Samosir, was also found proven beyond reasonable doubt of conspiring without legal authority or acting as an intermediary in the sale of Class I methamphetamine with weight exceeding five grammes, as stated in the Public Prosecutor’s primary indictment. “We impose a life sentence on defendant Hasiholan Samosir,” said Tiwik when reading the verdict.

In a previous hearing on Thursday, 5 March, the judges also read the verdict against another Indonesian defendant, Fandi Ramadhan. Fandi, who had previously faced a death sentence demand from prosecutors, was sentenced to five years imprisonment.

Additionally, two Thai nationals involved in the same case had previously received verdicts. Weerapat Phongwan was sentenced to life imprisonment, whilst Teerapong Lekpradub received a 17-year prison sentence.

The defence counsel for all three defendants, Firdaus, stated that they are still considering their next legal steps. On the other hand, the Public Prosecutor also indicated they will study the judges’ verdict.