BATAM | INDATANEWS.COM - Batam Customs thwarted an attempt to smuggle Class I narcotics in the form of methamphetamine weighing approximately 490 grams gross at Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
During the operation, officers apprehended three passengers identified by the initials MT, NA, and YK. The three were planning to travel from Batam to Jakarta on a domestic flight.
The officers uncovered the suspected smuggling attempt following a risk analysis of several passengers preparing to depart by air. The results of the analysis prompted officers to conduct further checks on three passengers who attracted particular attention in the departure area before boarding.
Risk Analysis Reveals Suspicious Behavior
At around 6:00 a.m. local time, Batam Customs officers examined MT, NA, and YK in the departure control area. The officers reviewed the profiles of the three passengers and conducted inspections to ensure that they were not carrying prohibited items.
During the initial inspection, officers found indications that the three passengers had suspicious objects concealed inside their bodies in an unusual manner. This finding prompted the officers to carry out a more thorough examination.
The inspection was not limited to a physical examination but also included a radiological examination using X-rays. The results showed that foreign objects were present inside the bodies of the three passengers.
The officers then took further action in accordance with applicable procedures to determine the type and quantity of the concealed objects. They subsequently recovered several packages containing white crystalline substances.
The seized evidence had a total gross weight of approximately 490 grams. Of that amount, approximately 170 grams were attributed to MT, around 155 grams to NA, and approximately 165 grams to YK.
The officers then conducted an initial test of the white crystalline substances. The results indicated that the substances were
methamphetamine. To determine their composition more precisely, the officers collected samples of the evidence and sent them for laboratory examination at the
Batam Customs laboratory.
FLIGHT PASSENGERS INSPECTED: Batam Customs officers inspect passengers who were subjected to further checks in the departure area of Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam based on the results of a risk analysis. (PHOTO: Dalil Harahap)
Laboratory Confirms Narcotics
The laboratory examination confirmed that the seized evidence tested positive for methamphetamine HCl, a Class I narcotic.
Following confirmation of the substance,
Batam Customs handed over the three passengers and the seized evidence to the Barelang City Police, also known as
Polresta Barelang. The handover was carried out so that police could continue the criminal proceedings and conduct further investigations into the case.
The operation is part of Batam Customs' ongoing monitoring efforts to prevent the illegal trafficking of narcotics through air transportation. Officers continuously conduct risk analyses of passenger and cargo traffic to identify potential violations as early as the departure area.
In addition to conducting direct inspections of passengers,
Batam Customs also works closely with law enforcement agencies and transportation facility operators. This cooperation is an important part of strengthening security and monitoring measures at Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam.
THREE PASSENGERS APPREHENDED AND HANDED OVER: Batam Customs hands over three passengers, along with the seized methamphetamine evidence, to Polresta Barelang for further legal proceedings and investigation of the case. (PHOTO: Dalil Harahap)
Combating Drug Smuggling by Air
Based on an estimate, the seizure of approximately 490 grams of methamphetamine may have prevented around 2,450 people from being exposed to the potential consequences of narcotics abuse.
In addition to preventing potential abuse, the operation is also estimated to have saved government expenditure on rehabilitation costs. The estimated value of the savings is approximately Rp3.92 billion.
Batam Customs continues to strengthen the monitoring of passenger and cargo traffic as part of its efforts to protect the public from the smuggling and distribution of narcotics, psychotropic substances, and precursor chemicals.
The monitoring is conducted through risk analyses, passenger inspections, and coordination with various agencies involved in aviation security and control.
Interagency cooperation is also being further strengthened to support the detection of illegal drug trafficking networks. At the same time, the cooperation aims to disrupt the supply and distribution chains of illegal narcotics trafficking that use air transportation as a means of conveyance.
The case involving the three apprehended passengers is now under the jurisdiction of
Polresta Barelang and is being handled in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Investigators may also expand the investigation to uncover the origin of the seized evidence, the individuals involved, and possible networks behind the suspected smuggling attempt.
Through continuous inspections and cooperation among agencies, Batam Customs is seeking to further restrict the operating space of illegal drug trafficking through the Batam area. This particularly applies to passenger entry and exit points at Hang Nadim International Airport. (IDNC)
REPORTER:
Dalil Harahap | EDITOR:
Fik Sagala