Pet raccoon caught with meth tube during postulation halt
Indonesian authorities seized 2 tons of crystal methamphetamine hidden connected a sportfishing vessel and arrested six radical successful the country's biggest-ever cause bust, officials said Monday.
The National Narcotics Agency, oregon BNN, said Thai authorities had notified them that the Indonesian-flagged vessel, sailing from the Andaman Sea to Batam Island, could beryllium carrying a immense haul of narcotics.
Indonesian authorities said they intercepted the vessel successful waters disconnected the Riau islands past Tuesday, and recovered 2,000 packages of crystal meth stuffed into cardboard boxes hidden wrong the ship.
"The effect of the hunt is 2 tonnes of crystal methamphetamine," BNN main Marthinus Hukom told a property conference. "This is the biggest haul successful Indonesia's narcotics bust history."
Authorities released images of handcuffed suspects wearing orangish jumpsuits and look masks sitting successful beforehand of hundreds of packages of the alleged drugs.
Suspects are seen alongside seized crystal methamphetamine during a property league by Indonesia's National Narcotics Agency (BNN) officials successful Batam, Riau Islands, connected May 26, 2025, aft they seized 2 tonnes of the cause hidden aboard a sportfishing vessel pursuing a tip-off from Thai authorities.
ANDARU AK/AFP via Getty Images
Marthinus estimated the drugs to beryllium worthy much than $4 million.
Indonesian authorities investigated the lawsuit implicit the past 5 months, moving intimately with Thai authorities.
The illicit drugs were produced successful the "Golden Triangle" portion wherever Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet, and were smuggled by an organized transgression radical moving with Indonesian traffickers, Marthinus said.
Six radical onboard the sportfishing vessel were arrested, including 4 Indonesians and 2 Thai nationals.
The unit told authorities they were fishermen recruited by the drugs syndicate which promised to wage them 50,000 Thai Baht ($1,500) and a $3,000 bonus.
Marthinus said a fugitive from Thailand was down the cognition and that Indonesia would contented a reddish announcement for the trafficker.
Monday's cause bust was the 2nd large cause seizure this month. Indonesian authorities antecedently seized 1.2 tons of crystal meth and much than 700 kilograms of cocaine wrong a Thailand-flagged sportfishing vessel adjacent the Riau islands. Authorities said they arrested 5 people and released an representation of the suspects connected vessel with packages of drugs and equipped officers down them.
In a abstracted case, Indonesian authorities arrested an Australian connected Monday for allegedly smuggling cocaine connected the tourer land of Bali, a complaint that could transportation the decease penalty, officials said Monday.
Indonesia has highly strict cause laws, and convicted smugglers are sometimes executed by firing squad.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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