Indonesian authorities intercepted the Mongolia-flagged tanker MT Global 168 off the coast of North Sumatra and discovered approximately 1.16 tonnes of ketamine hydrochloride on board.

The operation was carried out on October 20, 2026, in the Tanjung Balai Asahan area.

Following the interception, the tanker was escorted to Belawan Port in Medan, where law enforcement officers carried out a detailed search of the vessel.

During the inspection, authorities found 58 sacks containing 1,160 packages of ketamine HCl, each weighing approximately one kilogram.

The total weight of the seized substance was around 1,160 kilograms.

Eight crew members were on board — seven Indonesian nationals and one foreign national.

All were detained for questioning as part of the investigation.

Indonesian police later said that a 42-year-old Taiwanese national had formally been named as a suspect, while the involvement of the remaining crew members continued to be examined.

The seizure followed a prolonged period of surveillance of Global 168.

Indonesian authorities said they had been monitoring the tanker since August 2026 after receiving intelligence about unusual vessel movements and suspicious route patterns.

Particular attention was paid to the vessel’s Automatic Identification System — AIS data.

Between October 14 and 18, Global 168 reportedly carried out unusual movements in the Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea.

Investigators also identified inconsistencies in the vessel’s AIS transmissions.

According to Indonesian police, the same MMSI was used to transmit different vessel identification data.

Malaysian and Indonesian investigators also reported that the tanker’s AIS signal had been inactive for around three days.

According to preliminary information, Global 168 departed Pasir Gudang in Johor, Malaysia, before calling at Port Klang to take on fuel and supplies.

The tanker then proceeded toward the Andaman Sea.

Malaysian police said investigators are examining the possibility that a ship-to-ship transfer — STS took place in the area, during which the cargo may have been transferred to Global 168 from another vessel.

The tanker then turned back toward Indonesian waters, where it was intercepted.

The joint operation involved the Indonesian National Police, National Narcotics Agency — BNN, Customs and Excise, Water Police and North Sumatra Police.

The investigation quickly expanded beyond Indonesia.

Indonesian authorities notified Malaysian law enforcement because the tanker had previously been linked to a Malaysian company and had departed from a port in Johor.

Malaysian police established that Global 168 had previously been owned by Makmur Marine Petroleum Sdn Bhd.

According to preliminary findings, the vessel had been acquired in April 2026 for repairs and subsequent resale.

Investigators said the tanker was sold on June 28 to Golden Dolphin Co Ltd, a company registered in Yangon, Myanmar.

As part of the investigation, Malaysian police arrested two men on October 26.

One was a director of the company that had previously owned Global 168, while the second was an agent or broker involved in the vessel’s sale.

Both were remanded for seven days while investigations continued.

Malaysian police also said they were seeking three additional individuals — nationals of Singapore, Taiwan and Myanmar — who may have information relevant to the case.

Investigators are now trying to determine the origin of the ketamine, where it was loaded onto the vessel, its intended final destination and the people involved in the wider trafficking network.

The Global 168 case has become one of Indonesia’s largest maritime ketamine seizures in 2026 and has triggered a cross-border investigation involving several Southeast Asian countries.