Kepri police foil alleged Indonesia–Malaysia sea-route syndicate using rice sacks to hide narcotics.
Police in Riau Islands have arrested a man on Pulau Buru and seized about 1,800 ecstasy pills and nearly 3kg of methamphetamine, in what they believe is part of an international narcotics network moving drugs through Indonesia–Malaysia border waters.
Community Tip-Off And Arrest
Director of Narcotics Investigation for Kepri Police, Commissioner Suyono, said Subdit I officers launched the operation after public reports of suspicious activity linked to drug storage and distribution on Pulau Buru, Karimun. On Friday, May 15, at about 2.30pm, they arrested a man identified as H alias A on the island.
Search, Seizure And Modus Operandi
A search witnessed by local residents uncovered narcotics hidden behind a relative’s house. Police seized around 1,800 suspected ecstasy pills weighing a net 1,067.61g and methamphetamine weighing about 2,872.45g, along with containers and packaging materials allegedly used to conceal the drugs inside buckets and backpacks, then disguise them with rice sacks and instant noodle cartons.
Cross-Border Supply Chain And Planned Route
Preliminary questioning suggests the suspect accepted a high-paying job to ferry the narcotics out of the area. He is alleged to have received the drugs from a supplier known as JO in Indonesia–Malaysia border waters, with plans to move them by sea through Karimun towards Jambi province, using Pulau Buru’s coastal routes to avoid law-enforcement surveillance.
International Network And Ongoing Probe
Suyono said the Pulau Buru sea lane is believed to be deliberately exploited by international drug syndicates as a distribution corridor due to its relative remoteness and weaker oversight. Kepri Police are expanding the investigation to identify other members of the network and are actively hunting the supplier JO and any accomplices involved in the cross-border operation.
Legal Charges And Public Warning
The suspect has been charged under Articles 114(2) and 115(2) of Indonesia’s Narcotics Law No. 35 of 2009, which carry severe penalties for trafficking large quantities of drugs. Kepri Police spokeswoman Commissioner Nona Pricillia Ohei urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspected narcotics activity, warning that drug abuse threatens the younger generation and can undermine security and social stability.
The Pulau Buru seizure underlines how international syndicates continue to use Indonesia–Malaysia sea routes and remote islands to move high-value narcotics, relying on local couriers and clever concealment. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, sustained community reporting, maritime patrols and cross-border cooperation remain critical to breaking these networks before drugs reach urban markets and youth.
Sources: Batampos (2026) , Detik (2026)
Keywords: Ditresnarkoba Polda Kepri, Ecstasy Pills Seized, Methamphetamine 2.8kg, Indonesia Malaysia Sea Route, Suspect H Alias A
