Navy detains 34 Thais, four ships<\/p>\n
Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya\/Arafura Sea<\/p>\n
Thirty-four Thais have been apprehended and four ships
\nintercepted by the Navy for allegedly smuggling diesel fuel and
\npoaching in Indonesian waters, a Navy official said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Commander of the Navy's Eastern Fleet Rear Adm. Yosaphat Didik
\nHeru Purnomo said the Navy had apprehended last Thursday during
\nits patrol of the Arafura Sea Jeditson Manope, the Thai captain
\nof Indonesian-flagged tanker ship the MT Nuhuyut along with 10
\nThai crew members for allegedly smuggling 40 tones of diesel
\nfuel.<\/p>\n
He said the Navy ship KRI Tjiptadi-881, captained by Maj.
\nKisdiyanto, had also apprehended last Wednesday 23 other Thais,
\nwho were allegedly involved in poaching in the Arafuru Sea, in
\nthree Thai-flagged ships the KM Dechmanee-24, the MV Sriwicaci-2
\nand the MV Khanti Chai.<\/p>\n
The MT Nuhuyut captained by Jediston was reportedly
\nintercepted by the KRI Kakap 811 led by Maj. Antonius Widya and
\nwas then taken to the Navy port in Tual, Southeast Maluku
\nregency. The Navy also arrested three Indonesian crew members of
\nthe ship.<\/p>\n
\"In the preliminary investigation, the ship (MT Nuhuyut) was
\nnot equipped with a delivery order nor purchase receipts and was
\ntransporting diesel fuel without the proper documentation,\"
\nYosaphat said.<\/p>\n
He said the Navy would handle the case together with
\ninvestigators from the Energy and Mineral Resources Department.<\/p>\n
If found guilty, they suspects could face up to four years'
\nimprisonment or a fine of up to Rp 40 billion (US$4 million) as
\nstipulated in articles 53 and 22 of Law No. 22\/2001 on oil and
\ngas. The crew also allegedly violated the law by selling fuel to
\nforeign ships, which is punishable with up to six years'
\nimprisonment and a fine of up to Rp 60 billion.<\/p>\n
\"If the crew are proven to be selling subsidized fuel to
\nforeign ships we will seek the severest punishment for them as
\nour own people are suffering fuel problems,\" Yosaphat said.<\/p>\n
Apart from the MT Nuhuyut, the Navy also intercepted three
\nThai-flagged fishing ships and apprehended a total of 23 Thai
\ncrew members. However, the Navy did not provide more details of
\nthe incident, only saying the ships and crew had been taken to
\nthe Navy port in Tual, Southeast Maluku.<\/p>\n
When the Navy boarded the three ships, they found 80 tones of
\nfresh fish. The crew were unable to produce the documents
\nrequired to fish in Indonesian waters.<\/p>\n
No response was available from the Thai Embassy regarding the
\nincident.<\/p>\n
The Navy, which has been working to crack down on illegal
\nfishing by foreigners, apprehended a Chinese-flagged ship, also
\nallegedly caught poaching in the Arafura Sea last month. During
\nthis operation, a Chinese crew member was killed and two others
\nwere injured.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/navy-detains-34-thais-four-ships-1447893297",
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