COASTLINE VULNERABLE TO SMUGGLING

The recent seizure of 955 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine,
believed to have been smuggled into Indonesia by boat, has raised
questions about the monitoring of the archipelago's offshore and
coastal areas.

Five national security institutions -- the Navy, the Water Police and
Port Police, the offshore and coast guard unit (KPLP) at the
Transportation Ministry, customs and the immigration office -- are
responsible for the security of the country's waters and coastline.

"Unfortunately, there is a lack of coordination among the
institutions ... Each of us works according to our own priorities,"
KPLP director Soeharto told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

The Navy tends to concentrate on the country's security, the police
on human trafficking, and, along with customs, smuggling, the
immigration office on illegal immigration and the KPLP on sailing
security, including guarding against piracy.

Last year the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security
Affairs established the Offshore Security Coordination Body to
facilitate communication among the five institutions.

"But the body is still not effective ... Currently, there are areas
that are yet to be monitored. If there was coordination, the
institutions responsible could share work and split the areas to be
guarded, assuring coverage for every spot," Soeharto said.

The National Narcotics Agency says there are 39 Indonesian ports that
are susceptible to being used for drug trafficking. The country's
huge coastline makes smuggling easy for international drug syndicates.

The police believe that the crystal meth found in Tangerang last
Monday was smuggled into Indonesian waters on a large boat before
being transferred to a smaller vessel.

So far, the police's investigation has suggested that the transit
point of the drugs was 80 kilometers northeast of Tanjung Priok Port
or 100 kilometers from Teluk Naga, Tangerang.

The police found the drugs last week in a small truck in Teluk Naga,
on its way to Jakarta. They confiscated the truck and the drugs, and
three boats owned by a man named Akuang. Akuang owns coral exporting
company PT Sang Putra, to which the truck was registered.

Akuang, 42, along with Wang Yi Meng, 21, has been named a suspect in
the case.

Police are now looking for three Hong Kong citizens, known only as
Ahua, Mr. Chen and Mr. Lou, who are allegedly part of the syndicate
responsible for the drugs and are believed to have fled to Singapore.

The drugs were found after a Teluk Naga resident tipped police off.
It is believed to be the second biggest drug haul in Southeast Asian
history, after a February raid on an ecstasy and crystal meth factory
in Cikande, also in Tangerang.