Navy foils illegal workers crossing

PEKANBARU, Riau: The Navy foiled the crossing of at least 70 alleged illegal workers to Malaysia, catching them on a speed boat in Tanjung Medan waters near Riau.

Navy officer Lt.Col. Daniel Madjid said on Thursday the passengers of the speed boat did not have the correct papers to enter Malaysia. They had come from East and Central Java, and West Nusa Tenggara, he said.

The Navy caught the speed boat by accident as one of its ships was patrolling the waters as part of the Tiger Shark Operation.

Daniel said the alleged illegal workers had waited for a week inside a house at Dumai's coast before the smugglers sent them to Malaysia.

Four crew members of the speed boat were detained, but the identities of the smugglers remained unknown, he said. -- JP