Ordered By KSAL Admiral Yudo, The Indonesian Navy Intensively Patrols The Sea To Prevent Drug Smuggling

Pangkoarmada Vice Admiral TNI Agung Prasetiawan (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Navy has stepped up maritime security patrols around Nusantara waters to prevent narcotics smuggling.

"We are always vigilant and increase security patrols, especially after knowing the current mode (of narcotics smuggling by sea) is flotation," said the Commander of the Armed Forces (Pangkoarmada) Vice Admiral TNI Agung Prasetiawan at a press conference at the Field Koarmada I, Jakarta, Thursday, June 2. Between.

This plan is in accordance with the direction of KSAL Admiral TNI Yudo Margono who asked all his staff to intensify security operations in all Indonesian waters.

"We have to be aggressive, Pak KSAL ordered to increase operational activities in all Indonesian waters," said Agung.

Previously, on May 8, 2022, Agung said that his party managed to thwart an attempt to smuggle 179 kilograms of cocaine, which is estimated to be worth IDR 1.25 trillion.

The failure, he said, was carried out by the Indonesian Navy, which carried out a maritime security patrol using the Indonesian Navy Patrol Ship (KAL) Sanghiang, an element of the Banten Navy Base Patrol Ship (Lanal) in the ranks of the First Commando Armada in the Sunda Strait.

They identified four suspicious objects wrapped in plastic and floating in the waters around Merak Harbor, Banten.

Furthermore, Lanal Banten members coordinated with the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) of Banten Province so that it was known that the suspicious object was a narcotic type of cocaine.

"To follow up on the discovery of the goods, Koarmada I coordinated with the DKI Jakarta BPOM Office to check at the BPOM Laboratory. After that, the results were obtained which stated that the sample was a white powder with the code K22-O-01 containing cocaine," said Agung.

Then, to obtain legal certainty, the Navy submitted to the Central Jakarta District Court (PN Jakpus) so that the found items received a confiscation and destruction determination.

"In accordance with the determination of the Central Jakarta District Court, Number 450/PEN/PID/2022/PN.JKT.PST dated May 19, 2022, narcotics weighing 179 kilograms is determined to be confiscated and destroyed," he said.

The destruction was also carried out at the Field Koarmada I, Jakarta, Thursday.

On the same occasion, Agung also said that the Indonesian Navy would conduct an investigation with several related agencies to find out the owner of the cocaine.