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| Nearly 70 Tons of Frozen Meat Smuggling Busted in Riau Islands Waters, Police Say. |
Imagine tens of tons of frozen meat slipping into the market without proper checks. Sounds scary, right? Luckily, police in the Riau Islands stepped in just in time.
The Riau Islands Regional Police (Polda Kepri) have uncovered an alleged frozen meat smuggling operation involving nearly 70 tons in the waters of Moro District, Karimun Regency.
According to AKBP Paksi Eka Saputra, Head of Sub-Directorate I for Industry and Trade Crimes at the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate, officers secured two Indonesian-flagged vessels carrying suspicious cargo.
“We intercepted two vessels in the Moro waters. Both were transporting frozen meat along with other goods,” Paksi said on Tuesday (Jan 27, 2026).
The ships were later escorted to Batam for a full cargo inspection. Initial findings revealed large quantities of frozen beef, pork, and chicken, mixed in with other items such as bicycles and bundled second-hand goods.
What raised more eyebrows, Paksi added, was the origin of the meat.
“Some of the frozen meat was imported from Brazil,” he revealed.
The vessels, both wooden ships measuring 113 gross tonnage (GT), reportedly sailed from Singapore before entering Riau Islands waters. Investigators believe the cargo was intended for distribution in Pekanbaru and Jambi.
“Their final destinations were Pekanbaru and Jambi,” Paksi confirmed.
Police are now digging deeper into the case, as the operation is suspected to violate Indonesia’s Quarantine Law and Trade Law. Further investigations are underway to determine who’s behind the shipment and how long the smuggling route has been operating.
This bust highlights ongoing challenges in monitoring sea routes, while also showing how law enforcement efforts play a key role in keeping illegal food products off the market and protecting public health.
