The Case of Fandi, a Crew Member Facing Death Penalty for Smuggling 2 Tonnes of Methamphetamine

The case of alleged methamphetamine smuggling involving 1,995,130 grams — approximately 2 tonnes — which has ensnared a ship crew member from Medan, North Sumatra, named Fandi Ramadhan (26), has drawn considerable public sympathy. On 5 February, Fandi was served with a death penalty demand by prosecutors.

His family, upon hearing the prosecution’s demand, refused to accept it. According to them, Fandi is a victim in this case, having only worked for a few days aboard the Thailand-originating vessel carrying the narcotics.

In the primary indictment, public prosecutors explained that the drug trafficking was carried out by Fandi together with several others, namely 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.

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

Due to the family’s hand-to-mouth existence, Fandi sought employment on a foreign vessel. He then received a job offer on a Thai ship.

Sulaiman recounted that Fandi communicated with an agent and was instructed to prepare the necessary documents. Fandi also communicated with the ship’s captain, Hasiholan Samosir, who was also arrested and is a defendant in this case.

As Sulaiman recalls, his son departed from home in May 2025, flying to Thailand. Besides Fandi, several others also travelled with him, 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 any money.

“Everything was covered,” said Sulaiman at his residence in Lingkungan 8, Belawan Bahari subdistrict, Medan, on Friday (13 February).

Upon arriving in Thailand, Fandi communicated with his mother. At the time, Fandi said he had not yet started working on the ship and was staying at a hotel for approximately 10 days.

Subsequently, the captain informed them they would be operating an oil tanker.

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

At sea, Sulaiman recounted, Fandi witnessed cargo being loaded onto the tanker they were to operate. Sulaiman said his son did not know exactly what was being loaded.

However, after the loading was completed, Fandi asked the ship’s captain to verify the cargo contents, fearing there might be dangerous goods. 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, wondering whether there might be a bomb inside,” Sulaiman explained.

The vessel then departed from Thailand bound 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. Upon inspection, methamphetamine was discovered aboard.

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

The threat of the death penalty prompted Fandi’s family to contact prominent lawyer Hotman Paris. Fandi’s mother, Nirwana, in North Jakarta, pleaded for her son’s release.

She insisted her son did not commit the criminal act as charged.

“I beg President Prabowo, please help me. We are poor people — where else can I turn for help? To the honourable judge, I plead that my son is not guilty. He did not know about the cargo,” said Nirwana in North Jakarta on Friday (20 February).

Prosecutors’ explanation

The death penalty demand drew a public response, with most people questioning it. The Attorney General’s Office, through the Deputy Head of the Riau Islands High Prosecution Office, Diah Yuliastuti, explained that Fandi and the other defendants had known from the beginning that they would be recruited by an illegal crew recruitment company to serve as crew members aboard the Sea Dragon, the vessel carrying nearly 2 tonnes of methamphetamine.

According to Diah, Fandi had already received an initial transfer of Rp8.2 million from Hotman Simanung. Fandi and the others were also said to have known about plans for the Sea Dragon to pick up boxes containing methamphetamine mid-voyage.

“In essence, we wish to convey that the defendant knew from the outset that he was recruited by an illegal crew recruitment service to serve as crew on the Sea Dragon, a tanker that was supposed to carry oil but which he already knew would pick up 67 boxes containing approximately 1.9 tonnes of methamphetamine along the way,” Diah explained when contacted on Friday (20 February).

The trial of Fandi and the other defendants was set to continue on Monday (22 February) with the reading of the defence plea.