Navy foils sand smuggling to S'pore

Navy foils sand smuggling to S'pore

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam

The Navy captured over the weekend seven vessels trying to
smuggle thousands of tons of sand from the Riau waters to
Singapore.

Col. Adyaman, chief of the naval base on Batam Island, said
the vessels, several carrying foreign flags, were arrested
because they failed to show necessary documents for the sand they
were carrying.

"We are still questioning the seven vessels' crew members and
making an inventory of the quantity of sand inside the ships," he
said, citing the case would be investigated thoroughly according
to the law.

It is the first time that the Navy has been able to prevent
the sand smuggling to Singapore, despite the fact that many have
known of the illegal practice for years. The sand smuggling is
considered a transnational crime since many international
syndicates are allegedly involved. The smuggled sand was supplied
to the international syndicates who later sold it to their
Singaporean counterparts.

Singapore has reportedly been receiving sand both from the
Riau provincial administration and the black market to carry out
its reclamation project along its coastal areas.

Jakarta has taken over the authority to handle the sand export
from the province since the provincial administration was either
unable or unwilling to curb the sand smuggling which was believed
to be backed by the local military.

Military sources have denied the allegations, but suspicions
remains high.

Adyaman said the naval base deployed two warships -- the KRI
Ajak and the KRI Surya -- to arrest the seven vessels.

He said the Prof. Ssgorjunn carrying Russian a flag and
Korean flag carrier NV Samsung Apolo were captured in Durian
waters while the TB Olivia was captured in Moro waters on the
Malacca Strait.

He added that the remaining five cargo ships belonged to local
businessmen and their crew members were also arrested at the
naval base.

An alliance of nongovernmental organizations has urged the
government to halt the sand export which they said was
contributing to environmental destruction and was not benefiting
locals, especially those living in coastal areas.