Indonesian police foiled three separate attempts to smuggle ammonium nitrate between April and last month, The Jakarta Post reported today.

The chemical compound totalled 166.47 tonnes, with a value of Rp25.97 billion (approximately RM4 million).

Ammonium nitrate can be used as an explosive by fishermen to catch fish, while terrorists use it to make bombs.

The sole local English newspaper quoted National Police Chief Tito Karnavian as saying that recently, the police had intercepted vessels from Malaysia off Sumatra, and the most recently, seized a vessel carrying 50 tonnes of ammonium nitrate.

He said the police had uncovered a network behind the smuggling of the substance, which allegedly was being distributed to the eastern parts of Indonesia, including Central Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Flores, Sumbawa and Papua.

“We’ve been following up the intercepted shipments with an investigation and have arrested some distributors in Central Sulawesi and Tanjung Pinang. We will further develop the investigation in South Sulawesi, Flores and Papua,” he added.

- Bernama