Key facts
- Authorities seized 1.16 tonnes of ketamine hydrochloride from the MT Global 168 in the Malacca Strait.
- Eight crew members were arrested on the MT Global 168.
- The ketamine haul was valued at S$246 million.
- A separate raid in Aceh province uncovered 1.2 tonnes of meth.
- Two major drug busts worth millions of dollars were made on Sumatra within days.
Indonesian authorities are considering tighter controls on ketamine due to a rise in abuse cases and significant drug seizures. On October 20, police and customs officers intercepted the MT Global 168 tanker in the Malacca Strait, seizing 1.16 tonnes of ketamine hydrochloride. The haul, estimated to be worth S$246 million, led to the arrest of eight crew members. This seizure followed a similar bust of 1.3 tonnes of ketamine just over two months prior. In a separate operation on October 21, authorities raided a liquid meth lab in Aceh province, seizing 1.2 tonnes of meth and arresting 11 individuals. The proposed reclassification of ketamine to impose tougher penalties has raised concerns about exacerbating prison overcrowding.