JAKARTA: Indonesian police, in cooperation with Taiwanese police, have seized 1 tonne of crystal methamphetamine attempted to be smuggled into the country from China, the police said Thursday.
Two Taiwanese were arrested while a third was shot to death when Indonesian police seized the illicit drugs at a pier in Serang in Banten province, bordering Jakarta, following a two-month investigation, Jakarta police spokesman Prabowo Argo Yuwono said.
The amount was the largest seizure of the drug ever in Southeast Asia, and the biggest in Indonesia since 840kg of crystal methamphetamine was seized in 2015, Mr Prabowo said, adding that haul also involved drug smuggled from China.
“Four Taiwanese were implicated in this case, but only two have been arrested. One was shot to death for trying to attack police and another one is still at large,” Mr Prabowo said.
The crystal methamphetamine, known locally as “shabu-shabu,” was found packed into 51 boxes put in two minivans.
“In total, it weighs around 1 ton, but we will need to weigh it again to confirm,” Mr Prabowo said.
If convicted of drug smuggling, the detainees could be sentenced to death.
