(Karimun, Riau) 60 tones Ammonium Nitrate which is one of the primary ingredients for explosives were discovered being smuggled to Indonesia. Fortunately the Indonesian custom agency uncovered the plot and confiscated the hazardous material.
According to the Indonesian custom Public Relation head Evi Suhartantyo in Jakarta on Wednesday (17/03/2010), the illegal material was entering Indonesia from Tanjung Balai Karimun sea port in Riau Island. The ship carrying the material sailed from Malaysia March 16, 2010.
The explosive substance was carried by Pratama Jaya ship which bears Indonesian flag, packed in 2,400 bags 25 kg each. When captured the ship has 14 crews and a helmsmen named Syukur. They are now in police custody.
The intended route was to take the cargo through to Ambon, Molluca and Kendari in Southeast Sulawesi. “There are 500 bags of clothes that was also confiscated.” Says Evi.
The state losses of revenue would have been close to USD 300 thousand had the smuggling not been discovered. Not to mention the security implication of 60 Tons of explosive material inside the country without any controls.
It was reported that the Philippine authority also confiscated 6 tons of Ammonium Nitrate back on October 19, 2009. That arrest bear the same marks are the ship was also from Malaysia and the material was packed in 242 bags of 25 kg each.
Ammonium Nitrate is used primarily in mining and quarrying operations. The components are generally mixed at or near the point of use for safety reasons. The mixed product is relatively safe and easily handled and can be poured into drill holes in the mass or object to be blasted.
As a comparison the bomb used to attack the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995 consisted of an Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO) explosive main charge of approximately 4,000 pounds, based on an estimate of the Velocities of Detonation of approximately 13,000 fps.
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