Crime Not a Thai Vessel, Confirms Thai Maritime Agency After Drug Bust by Indonesian Navy

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Thailand’s Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai-MECC) has confirmed that the vessel AUNGTOETOE 99, recently seized by the Indonesian Navy with nearly two tonnes of narcotics onboard, is not registered under the Thai flag, despite being found displaying one.

 

The dramatic seizure took place on 13 May off the coast of Sumatra, near Selat Durian and Tanjung Balai Karimun in Indonesia’s Riau Islands Province. Indonesian naval forces intercepted the vessel following suspicious behaviour, it carried no fishing equipment or evidence of recent fishing activity.

 

A thorough search of the ship revealed approximately 1.9 tonnes of narcotics, comprising 705 kilograms of methamphetamine and 1,200 kilograms of cocaine, all packed in large sacks. The combined street value is estimated at over 7 trillion Indonesian rupiah, equivalent to approximately 428 million USD.

 

The vessel was flying a Thai flag at the time of interception, prompting the Thai authorities to investigate its nationality. However, the Thai-MECC announced today that a check against the national ship registry turned up no record of AUNGTOETOE 99 being a Thai vessel.

 

Five individuals were detained in the operation: a Thai man believed to be the captain and four Myanmar nationals serving as crew. All were found to be without proper identification documents and are currently being held in Batam, Indonesia.

 

The Indonesian Navy has since handed the case over to the country’s National Narcotics Agency (BNN), which is now leading a broader investigation into the drug trafficking network behind the shipment. Authorities are working to trace the origin and intended destination of the narcotics, and whether the Thai national has connections to larger syndicates in the region.

 

The Thai Naval Attaché in Jakarta initially alerted Thai-MECC to the seizure, prompting an immediate internal review. Thai officials are now working in coordination with Indonesian and other international maritime agencies to verify further details about the vessel’s registration, ownership, and potential links to transnational crime.

 

As of now, officials say there is no evidence the vessel was officially registered in Thailand, despite the flag it was flying.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-05-20.