11 Pirates Arrested In Indonesia After Years Of Armed Robberies On Cargo Ships

Police in Indonesia’s Riau Islands have arrested 11 suspects accused of carrying out a series of armed robberies against foreign cargo ships passing through the region’s border waters since 2017. Authorities are searching for three more pirate groups active in the area.

The arrests were made by the Water and Air Police Directorate (Ditpolairud) of the Riau Islands Regional Police, following tips from the public and the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) in Singapore.

According to police, the suspects were caught in the act of stealing spare parts from a foreign ship named Torm Elizabeth near the Nipah and Phillips Straits in the Karimun district.

The area is known to be vulnerable, as vessels passing through the Nipah Strait are required to slow down to between 0 and 5 knots. Pirates took advantage of this regulation to target ships that had reduced speed.

Authorities began surveillance and patrols after receiving reports of suspicious activities at sea. On July 9, a team from the Water and Air Police intercepted a boat powered by a 72-horsepower Yamaha engine as it approached a foreign cargo vessel.

The police arrested eight men onboard, identified only by their initials: S, I, R, RH, Z, SD, MI, and LA. Police found that the suspects used a 10-meter-long bamboo pole to hook ropes onto passing vessels and climb aboard.

Some of them had thick calluses on their feet due to frequent barefoot climbing onto ships at night. They mainly targeted engine spare parts which could be resold for profit in Jakarta, sometimes earning as much as $6,000 from one raid.

Further investigation led to the arrest of three more suspects. One of them, identified as P, was believed to be the coordinator of the robbery. Another, F, was caught with four packets of methamphetamine, and a third, A, was in charge of delivering stolen items to a person named Y in Jakarta.

Police said the gang used standard online ship-tracking websites to identify slow-moving targets. Before each robbery, they consumed methamphetamine to boost their confidence and reduce fear. According to Riau Islands Water Police Director, Senior Commissioner Handono Subiakto, the drug made them bolder, even willing to jump into the sea if chased or threatened.

Although no firearms were found during the arrest, police discovered a homemade airsoft gun described as a “high-explosive type” that the suspects used to intimidate crew members. Investigators also suspect the gang previously had homemade firearms, though they were not in possession of any at the time of the operation.

Along with the suspects, police also seized several items of evidence: a barge, three mobile phones, four packets of methamphetamine, an airsoft gun, and five boxes of stolen spare parts.

The suspects face multiple charges under Indonesian law, including aggravated theft under Article 363 of the Criminal Code, receiving and selling stolen goods under Article 480, narcotics-related offenses under Articles 112 and 197, and criminal conspiracy under Article 55.

Based on the information collected during interrogation, police have also identified three other active piracy groups in the region, referred to as Groups J, O, and JO. Some members are repeat offenders who were previously arrested for similar crimes. One of the arrested suspects, S, is believed to have been involved with both Groups J and O in the past.

According to the International Maritime Bureau’s ICC, 57 incidents of armed robbery were reported in the region in the first half of 2025, nearly four times more than the 15 cases reported during the same period last year.

Phillips Channel, located just south of Singapore’s Jurong Island, remains a hotspot for such crimes. The sharp turn in the channel forces vessels to reduce speed, making them easier targets for criminal gangs.

Reference: antaranews

Source: Maritime Shipping News