Garlic smugglers captured

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Marine patrol in Tarakan captured a boat carrying nine tons of garlic thought to be smuggled from Malaysia to Indonesia last week, a military official said yesterday.

Commanding officer First Lt. Merudandha said that the Sumber Jaya with six crew members on board was captured near the Ligitan island.

The boat and the cargo were confiscated for further investigation, he said.

Merudandha, as quoted by the Antara news agency yesterday, said the crew of the boat sailing from Tawao, East Malaysia was heading for Sulawesi.

"The area is vulnerable to smuggling," said Merudandha, adding that patrol officers are hampered by the fact that alleged smugglers are found outside Indonesian borderlines.

Earlier this month, officers confiscated 26 tons of rattan to be smuggled to Malaysia. (anr)