Garlic smugglers captured

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)