Indonesia Seizes Over 2 Tons of Ketamine and Meth in Sumatra and Aceh
Indonesian authorities seized more than two tons of ketamine and methamphetamine across two major anti-drug operations in Sumatra and Aceh on October 20 and October 21, uncovering maritime trafficking routes linked to syndicates across Southeast Asia.
Tanker Intercepted Off Sumatra With 1.1 Tons of Ketamine
National Police Chief Gen. Suyudi Ario Seto announced at a press conference that police and customs officers intercepted a ship carrying 1.1 tons of ketamine in the waters off Sumatra on October 20, the AFP news agency reported. Intelligence officers detected irregularities in the route of the tanker MT Global 168 as it moved through the Malacca Strait and the Andaman Sea. Authorities then towed the vessel to Belawan Port in North Sumatra for inspection.
The joint search operation yielded illicit drugs in the form of ketamine HCL found across 58 sacks, reaching a total weight of 1.16 tonnes, according to Suyudi. Officials estimated the value of the shipment at 3.48 trillion rupiah, equivalent to $210 million. The tanker flew the Mongolian flag but records show it is owned by a company based in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Aceh Laboratory Raid Nets 1.2 Tons of Methamphetamine
The following day, in a joint operation with the National Narcotics Control Commission of China, the National Narcotics Board raided a clandestine drug laboratory in Aceh province’s Pidie regency. Authorities seized approximately 1.2 tons of liquid and crystal methamphetamine, along with equipment used to convert liquid into crystal meth. Officers arrested 11 suspects at the scene, including two Chinese nationals, and placed the value of the drugs at 2.16 trillion rupiah, or $119 million.
Investigators are examining possible connections between the meth lab and drug syndicates operating in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Golden Triangle. That tri-border region between Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos has long served as a center for large-scale narcotics production and trafficking.
Regional Synthetic Drug Markets Reach Record Volumes
The back-to-back seizures follow an August operation in which authorities recovered 1.3 tons of ketamine from a ship near the Riau Islands. The rising volume highlights the expanding illicit synthetic drug trade across Southeast Asia. In its annual report on the Asian synthetic drug market released in June, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime reported that methamphetamine seizures spiked to a record 349 tons in East and Southeast Asia in 2025, marking a 48 percent increase over the previous year’s record of 236 tons.
Ketamine seizures experienced a parallel surge, rising to 52.5 tons, representing a 185 percent increase over 2024 totals. Approximately 94 percent of last year’s regional methamphetamine seizures occurred within Southeast Asia. Much of the regional supply originates in areas of Myanmar controlled by armed rebel groups and militias. Production and trafficking have intensified following the 2021 military coup, as ongoing conflict and economic dysfunction disrupt law enforcement and weaken state control over outlying border regions.