Indonesian Navy pursues smuggler transporting 16 people illegally from Malaysia
Dumai, Riau (ANTARA) - The Dumai Naval Base (Lanal) is still pursuing a smuggler who transported eight foreign nationals from Bangladesh and eight undocumented Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) from Malaysia via unofficial routes to the coast of Dumai, Riau.
The Commander of Lanal Dumai, Navy Colonel (P) Agung Nugroho Kusumaji, stated that officers have identified the smuggler, who is known not to be a resident of Dumai.
“The smuggler is still being pursued. The identity of the sea smuggler has been secured and they are not a resident of Dumai,” said Agung in Dumai on Wednesday.
The smuggler was operating a speedboat carrying 16 people from Malaysia, which landed on the coast of Purnama Beach, Purnama Village, West Dumai District, on Monday (31/8).
As officers approached, the passengers and the smuggler attempted to flee by jumping towards the shore.
Officers initially secured three Indonesian migrant workers along with the speedboat. After conducting a sweep around the passenger landing site, officers subsequently found five more Indonesian migrant workers and eight Bangladeshi nationals.
As a result, 16 passengers have been secured, while the smuggler who transported them remains under pursuit by authorities.
The discovery began following information received by officers on Sunday (30/8) regarding plans to return undocumented Indonesian migrant workers and foreign nationals from Malaysia to Indonesia via the Dumai coast.
This information was followed up by the Lanal Dumai Quick Response Team, alongside the B Intelmar Kodaeral I Team and the Koarmada I Intelmar Ops Task Force, through surveillance around the location.
According to statements from the migrant workers, they paid travel costs from Malaysia to Indonesia ranging from Rp6.5 million to Rp9.5 million per person.
The migrant workers originate from several regions, including Sulawesi, Medan, and Java.
“The handling of the eight Indonesian migrant workers and eight foreign nationals will be handed over to the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Service Post (P4MI) Dumai and Dumai Immigration for data collection and further processing,” said Agung.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Dumai Class I TPI Immigration Office, Ruhiyat M Tolib, stated that everyone entering Indonesia is required to pass through official immigration checkpoints.
Dumai Immigration is now coordinating with the Immigration Detention Centre under the Riau Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration to handle the eight Bangladeshi nationals.