Indonesia Jails Two Thai Nationals in Massive Meth Smuggling Case

Photo: Reuters

BATAM, March 7, 2026 (Reuters) — An Indonesian court on Friday sentenced two Thai nationals to lengthy prison terms for smuggling nearly two tons of methamphetamine, in one of the country’s largest drug trafficking cases in recent years.

One of the defendants was handed life imprisonment, while the other received a 17-year prison sentence, according to court officials.

Authorities said the men were arrested in May 2025 after police intercepted a fishing boat carrying about two tons of crystal methamphetamine in waters near Karimun in Indonesia’s Riau Islands, close to Singapore.

Investigators said the drugs were packed in dozens of boxes and were believed to be part of a regional trafficking network linked to Southeast Asia.

The case is among Indonesia’s largest meth seizures in recent years and highlights the country’s strict anti-narcotics laws as authorities intensify efforts to combat transnational drug trafficking.

Indonesia has some of the toughest drug laws in the region, with severe penalties for trafficking, including life imprisonment and the death penalty in certain cases.