21 treasure thieves arrested in Cirebon
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon, West Java
At least 21 people suspected of plundering hidden treasure from a shipwreck off the coast of Cirebon, West Java, were apprehended by a joint team from the National Police, Cirebon Police and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on Sunday.
Local police said on Tuesday the suspects had been caught red- handed while removing chinaware from the 12th century ship from China.
Cirebon Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Taufik Asrori, accompanied by local police chief of special crime Second. Insp. Tidar Wulung Dahono, said that further questioning of the suspects would be handled by the West Java Water Police.
The police had seized evidence from the suspects, such as air compressors, air hoses, nets, diving masks, weights, buoys and boxes for storing the stolen goods.
Based on the police's preliminary investigation, most of the suspects were fishermen from Serang, Tangerang and Pandeglang in Banten province.
"According to our investigation, the suspects had been allocated duties, seven had been divers and removed the treasure from the wreck, five operated the air hoses and the rest manned the boat," Taufik said.
He also said the raid had been led by Brig. Gen. Sadji Aldjairi from the National Police headquarters, who is also an advisor to the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rokhmin Dahuri.
Aboard a patrol boat from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (Hiu 005), it took the joint team four hours to reach the crime scene from Cirebon Port.
Meanwhile, the suspects, aboard two 12-ton ships, KM Fitri and KM Mina, had been busy loading various Chinese ceramics, largely plates and bowls, into the boats.
"The moment they saw the Hiu 005 approaching, the suspects tossed the stolen goods into the sea. The joint team managed to recover only one item, an antique bowl," he said.
Separately, a senior official from the ministry, Rico Casanova, who was among the team's members, said that data from his office showed that the shipwreck was that of a Chinese trade ship from the 11th or 12th century. The ship was believed to have been carrying between 30,000 and 40,000 pieces of chinaware.
"The shipwreck is located about 40 meters to 50 meters below the Java Sea," he said.
The ministry is yet to estimate the total value of the treasure, Taufik said.
The suspects said they had intended to sell the stolen goods to antiques dealers in Bali and Jakarta for Rp 75,000 (US$9) per bowl and Rp 100,000 per plate.
"The suspects apparently removed around 2,000 bowls from the shipwreck before throwing them back into the sea. The team will try to retrieve the goods as evidence," Taufik said.