"Suspicious" Thailand-Linked Vessel Carrying 1.3 Tonnes of Ketamine Intercepted by Indonesia

PHNOM PENH, August 10, 2026 – Indonesian authorities have intercepted 1.3 tonnes of ketamine—worth an estimated $149 million—aboard a vessel that sailed from Thailand, marking one of Southeast Asia's largest drug busts this year.

National Narcotics Agency chief Suyudi Ario Seto confirmed that authorities received intelligence in February that the MV King Sun was sailing east from Thailand towards Indonesia with "suspicious" cargo, prompting months of surveillance. The vessel, sailing under a Tanzanian flag, was captured by the Indonesian Navy on August 6 in waters north of Tanjung Berakit, Riau Islands.

Inside the ship's hidden compartments, joint teams discovered 65 sacks packed with ketamine. Authorities are continuing to investigate the network behind the shipment, including the origin of the load, port destination, sender, and receiver.

Eight crew members—seven Myanmar nationals and one Taiwanese—have been detained. The bust is the second major drug interdiction linked to Thailand in just over a month. In July, Indonesian authorities seized 3.37 tonnes of cannabis buds from another smuggling attempt originating from Thailand, arresting 12 suspects.

The pattern has put Thailand under renewed regional scrutiny, with law enforcement agencies demanding greater accountability from Thai authorities in cracking down on cross-border trafficking networks. As Indonesia's anti-drug agency estimates the 1.3-tonne seizure saved 6.5 million lives from potential drug abuse, the operation has also exposed Thailand's role as a gateway for narcotics entering the archipelago.

— Sources: AFP / The Japan Times

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/08/09/asia-pacific/crime-legal/indonesia-tons-ketamine-bust/

Pusat Penerangan TNI

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BxdAXWMoT/

Reported by The Khmer Today