Batam: An Indonesian court in Batam has handed down a life sentence to one Thai man and a 17-year prison term to another for their involvement in smuggling nearly two tons of methamphetamine. This incident marks one of the largest drug busts in the country in recent years.
According to Thai News Agency, the court ruled that Weeraphat Pongwan was to serve life in prison due to his role as an intermediary overseeing the drug distribution operation. Theerapong Lekpradab received a 17-year sentence after being found guilty of acting as an intermediary in the drug trafficking network.
The legal proceedings followed the arrest of the two Thai nationals, alongside four Indonesians, by Indonesian police last May. Authorities intercepted the group on a fishing boat carrying 67 boxes of crystal methamphetamine, with a total weight approaching 2,000 kilograms. Photographs presented during the trial revealed that the drugs were hidden inside tea bags.
The arrests occurred in the waters off Karimun, in the Riau Islands province, close to Singapore. In a related development, the court sentenced another defendant, Fandi Ramadan, to five years in prison on Thursday. The verdicts for the remaining three defendants are expected to be delivered next week.
The case has gained significant attention on social media, especially after Ramadan's family appealed to President Prabowo Subianto for intervention to secure his release.
Local media have reported that the drugs were smuggled from Phuket Province, Thailand, and are suspected to be part of a transnational drug trafficking network based in the Golden Triangle region, which includes parts of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos.
Indonesia maintains stringent drug laws, as evidenced by the 2015 execution of two Australians from the "Bali Nine" drug trafficking ring for attempting to smuggle heroin out of Bali.