Suspected courier flees Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport after abandoned suitcase triggers narcotics find.
Security officers at Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport in Tanjungpinang have seized about 1.3kg of methamphetamine from a black suitcase, after its owner allegedly fled the terminal before checks could be completed.
Suspicious Suitcase Flagged At X-Ray Check
The case began when aviation security (Avsec) staff at Raja Haji Fisabilillah (RHF) Airport grew suspicious of a black suitcase passing through the Hold Baggage Security Check Point (HBSCP) in Tanjungpinang. On Wednesday of the previous week, an X-ray scan suggested that the bag might contain narcotics. Kasat Narkoba Polresta Tanjungpinang AKP Lajun Sianturi said this prompted a closer inspection and efforts to identify the passenger linked to the luggage.
Owner Vanishes Before Inspection
Initial checks showed the suitcase was tagged to a prospective passenger identified only as AJD. Airport staff attempted to call the passenger for a direct inspection but found he had apparently already left the airport area. With the owner missing and strong suspicion that the bag contained drugs, airport authorities contacted the Tanjungpinang Police Narcotics Unit to take possession of the suitcase as evidence and proceed with a controlled examination.
1.3 Kilograms Of Meth Found Inside Luggage
When police opened the suitcase, they discovered five packages of suspected methamphetamine wrapped and hidden among clothing. The gross weight of the Class I narcotic was recorded at about 1,315.4 grams, roughly 1.3 kilograms. Officers also seized five sheets of black carbon paper and several items of clothing stored with the drugs. The find suggests a planned attempt to move a significant quantity of meth through the airport, likely as part of a wider trafficking route beyond Tanjungpinang.
Fugitive Suspect AJD Now Sought By Police
AKP Lajun said investigators are now working intensively to confirm the identity and current whereabouts of the suspect, AJD, who remains at large. Police are reviewing flight bookings, CCTV footage and baggage records to reconstruct the suspect’s movements and determine whether he was acting alone or on behalf of a larger network. The abandoned suitcase and its contents have been secured as case evidence while officers pursue leads on accomplices and upstream suppliers.
Airport Security And Regional Implications
The RHF seizure underscores the critical role of airport X-ray screening and Avsec vigilance in intercepting narcotics before they reach domestic or international markets. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, especially given the Riau Islands’ proximity to major sea and air routes, the incident highlights how traffickers continue to test airport security with courier-based schemes, and why coordinated action between aviation security and specialist narcotics units is essential to disrupt smuggling networks early.
The discovery of 1.3 kilograms of meth in an unclaimed suitcase at Tanjungpinang’s Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport shows both the ingenuity and the vulnerability of drug traffickers relying on commercial flights. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, the ongoing hunt for suspect AJD is a reminder that robust screening, rapid police response and cross-agency cooperation remain frontline defences against narcotics flows through regional air hubs.
Sources: Batampos (2026) , GOTV News (2026)
Keywords: RHF X Ray Alert, Hold Baggage Security Check, Avsec Suspicious Suitcase, AJD Fugitive Suspect, 1.3 Kilogram Meth Seizure, Satresnarkoba Polresta Tanjungpinang
