Batam Customs Thwarts The Smuggling Of 1.5 Kg Of Drugs Through Waters

Batam Customs and Excise released a 1.5 kg drug smuggling attempt that was thwarted over the past two weeks at the Customs Office, Batam City, Riau Islands, Monday (17/11/2025). (ANTARA/Laily Rahmawaty.)

Batam Customs and Excise thwarted two attempts to smuggle drugs with different modes through the waters of the Riau Islands with a total weight of 1.5 kilograms (Kg).

Batam Customs and Excise Head Zaky Firmansyah said the first smuggling attempt was an interest mode, which was carried by MM (46), a ferry passenger from Tulang Laut, Malaysia to Batam.

"The first perpetrators numbered one person, hiding 10 packs of narcotics in an inserting consisting of five packs of methamphetamine, and four packs of ecstasy," Zaky said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, November 17.

The smuggling of the inserting mode was revealed from the officers' suspicions with the behavior of the perpetrators who showed anxiety, and hid something. The officer then deployed a K-9 sniffer dog that showed attention to the MM perpetrator.

The officers then carried out an in-depth examination in the X-ray area, and a urine test, the results were positive. The perpetrator admitted that he had consumed methamphetamine three days earlier.

"Officers then took the perpetrator to the hospital for a medical examination, but had fled until he was finally arrested at the Madani Traffic Intersection," said Zaky.

Meanwhile, the results of the X-rays of the perpetrators in the abdomen section found 10 packs of narcotics in a body cavity containing 236 grams methamphetamine and 256 ecstasy pills.

"The perpetrator works as a construction worker from East Java, and is promised a salary of Rp. 50 million to bring this narcotics to Lombok," he said.

The second smuggling attempt was successfully thwarted by the Customs Marine Patrol Team using the BC 15029 ship in the Sau Island area.

The patrol team found a bag floating in the middle of the sea containing narcotics type methamphetamine weighing 1,029.3 grams (less than 1 kg).

The methamphetamine in the form of a white crystal, Zaky's deed, was disguised by the smuggling using a black bag floating in the sea. The bag contains three corsets and two plastic bags containing nine clear plastic packs containing crystal methamphetamine.

"Officers suspect that there are strong indications that the perpetrators threw away goods to avoid prosecution," he said.

Now the two smuggling cases have been transferred to law enforcement. The smuggling of the investigation mode was delegated to the Riau Islands BNN, while the discovery of a bag containing 1 kg of methamphetamine was handed over to the Riau Islands Police.

According to Zaky, the prosecution of this drug smuggling attempt has saved 6,600 people with the potential for narcotics smuggling. Where the state managed to save rehabilitation costs of approximately Rp. 11 billion.

This smuggling shows that the modus operandi used by perpetrators is to avoid law enforcement.

"We will respond to each new pattern with tighter supervision and intensive patrols," he said.

"This action is also a tangible manifestation of the President of the Republic of Indonesia's Astacita through the synergy of Customs, Police, TNI, BNN, Prosecutor's Office, and other law enforcement officers in eradicating narcotics smuggling," continued Zaky.