Immigration arrests nine foreigners

JAKARTA (JP): Seven foreigners with Korean passports, and two with Nigerian passports, were arrested in South Jakarta this week by immigration officials.

The immigration department's director of control and supervision Zaiman Nurmatias, said yesterday the Koreans were arrested Monday on Jl. Kebalen, Kebayoran Baru, for overstaying their visas.

They were, You Joong Yun, with passport number SB 056129, Jae Son Um, no. 4300459, Hwa Sang Kwak, no. 3871419, Park Sun Mi, no. 5917841, Choon Ran Kwak Baek, no. DJ 007108, Ha Young Kim, no. 5080384 and Jung Hee Baek no. DJ 004685.

Zaiman said his officers arrested the Koreans at a beauty parlor and a minimarket on Jl. Kebalen. He said two immigration officials went to the parlor for a haircut and found two of the staff could not speak Indonesian. When the hairdressers took the payment of Rp 20,000 for the haircuts, the officers arrested them.

Meanwhile several officers bought noodles at a nearby minimarket and arrested five Korean employees once they had accepted payment for the noodles.

Immigration Public Relations Officer Mursanudin A. Ghani said none of the Koreans, who also worked in the video rental section, had proper work permits.

One had a limited stay permit as a design engineer.

Mursanudin said two people with Nigerian passports were arrested in a restaurant yesterday for overstaying their permits. They were Asuzu Florence, passport no. B 378431 and Blessing Onwuzo, no. 359155.

The officer said one of the men managed the restaurant on Jl. Kebon Kacang, Central Jakarta.

All the foreigners are being held at the South Jakarta Detention center. (anr)