Immigration Authorities Secure Two Australian Detainees Who Fled to Merauke
The Directorate General of Immigration has secured three Australian citizens with initials DTL, ZA, and JVD in connection with an illegal entry case into Indonesia in Merauke. The three have been detained since early last year.
“Three Australian foreign nationals with initials ZA, DTL, and JVD have been secured since 2 December 2025 by the Directorate General of Immigration on suspicion of immigration criminal acts under Law Number 6 of 2011 on Immigration,” said Director General of Immigration, Hendarsam Marantoko, during a press conference at the Directorate General of Immigration office on Thursday (9/4/2026).
Hendarsam stated that the Australians violated Article 119 paragraph 1 of the Immigration Law, which stipulates that every foreigner entering and/or staying in Indonesian territory must possess valid travel documents and visas. They also violated Article 119 paragraph 1 and/or Article 114 paragraph 2 of the Immigration Law in conjunction with Article 56 paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code as amended by Article 21 paragraph 1 letter A of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the new Criminal Code.
“In simple terms, they violated the rules by committing illegal entry. Entering without authorisation,” he explained.
In this case, the Australians who carried out the illegal entry were DTL and ZA. The two were assisted by a pilot with initials JVD.
“All three are Australian citizens; two are the main perpetrators of the illegal entry, and one is assisting, namely an Australian pilot (JVD),” he clarified.
He explained that the case began when PT Angkasa Nusantara Aviasi or ANA sent an aircraft manifest to PT Garuda Angkasa’s Merauke branch. It listed the arrival of a Piper PA23 250 Aztec aircraft with registration number VH-EQD from Coen Airport, Australia, to Mopah Airport on 16 November 2025 at 13:34 WIT.
However, the statement indicated only one pilot and one passenger. Upon landing at Mopah Airport in Merauke, it was discovered that the passengers inside did not match the description, leading to their detention by officers.
The pilot of the aircraft was Australian national JVD. The co-pilot was an Indonesian citizen.
Based on initial examination results, said Hendarsam, the aircraft departed from Cairns International Airport, Australia, bound for Mopah Airport in Merauke. Before transiting at Coen Airport, the aircraft transited at Port Stewart Airport in Australia, which is an uncontrolled airstrip without immigration officers, to pick up two other Australian nationals.
“Two passengers without valid travel documents and visas, and whose names were not listed in the flight manifest under the names ZA and DTL, were then secured in the detection room of the Merauke Immigration Office,” he said.
Furthermore, Yuldi Yusman, Director of Immigration Supervision and Enforcement at the Directorate General of Immigration, stated that the two individuals transported by the pilot were actually on city detention status. The two attempted to flee to Indonesia illegally through Mopah Airport in Merauke.
“We can state here that the individuals are equivalent to city detainees, or in English, on bail, in a criminal case in Australia,” he added.
According to Yuldi, the motive of the two city detainees for coming to Indonesia was to escape. They wanted to avoid the ongoing legal process.
“So, coming here is certainly about the motive, namely to flee from the legal process they are undergoing in Australia. Initials ZA and DTL,” he said.