Trail of the 2-Ton Meth Case and the Tears of Sea Dragon Crew Demanding Justice
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Early March 2026 became a moment that captured public attention when the Panel of Judges at the Batam District Court in the Riau Islands handed down a ruling in the case of six crew members of the Sea Dragon Terawa, which was carrying nearly 2 tons of methamphetamine.
Public attention focused on Fandi Ramadhan (20), one of the defendants, after a video of him crying and pleading for justice to avoid the death penalty went viral on social media, prompting a response from Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives.
This public spotlight recalled the case’s revelation in May 2025, when the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) of Indonesia, along with Customs and Excise as well as TNI-Polri apparatus, thwarted the smuggling of nearly 2 tons of methamphetamine in the waters of the Riau Islands, one of the largest seizures in the history of narcotics eradication in Indonesia.
In that case, six crew members were designated as suspects, consisting of four Indonesian citizens—Fandi Ramadhan, Richard Halomoan Tambunan, Leo Candra Samosir, and Hasiholan Samosir—as well as two Thai nationals, Teerapong Lekpradube and Weerepat Phongwan.
The Batam District Court Panel of Judges then imposed differing sentences. Fandi Ramadhan, the engine crew member, was sentenced to 5 years in prison on 5 March 2026. Richard Halomoan Tambunan (chief officer) and Hasiholan Samosir (ship’s captain) were sentenced to life imprisonment, while Leo Candra Samosir (helmsman) was sentenced to 15 years in prison in the ruling on 9 March 2026.
As for the two Thai foreign nationals, Weerepat Phongwan was sentenced to life imprisonment and Teerapong Lekpradube to 17 years in prison on 6 March 2026.
These sentences were lighter than the demands of the Public Prosecutors from the Batam District Prosecutor’s Office, who had previously sought the death penalty for all defendants. That demand reflected the state’s concern over the significant impact of narcotics abuse if the nearly 2 tons of methamphetamine had successfully circulated in society.
This case also affirms that narcotics trafficking via sea routes involves international syndicates that position Southeast Asian countries as markets.