Polairud Headquarters Police Thwart Fuel Smuggling in Labuan Bajo

The patrol team from RIB KP. IBIS - 6001 of the Polairud Directorate under the Police’s Maritime and Water Police Corps in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), secured an unmarked boat suspected of smuggling 1,480 litres of subsidised fuel oil in the form of kerosene destined for Sape, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The kerosene was smuggled from Papagarang Island, Komodo Subdistrict, West Manggarai. The capture operation, led by AKP Vanda Furqaan Widodo, followed information from the public. The unmarked boat was secured while still sailing in the waters of Mangyatan Island, Komodo Subdistrict, Labuan Bajo, on Thursday (30/4/2026), from the wooden pier of Papagarang Island. During the operation, the RIB KP. IBIS - 6001 patrol team arrested two individuals: the boat’s captain, who is also the owner of the kerosene, M. Nasir, and the crew member named Diwan. Both are from Papagarang Island. “While in the vicinity of Mangyatan waters, an unmarked boat was spotted passing by, after which an inspection and arrest were carried out against Mr M. Nasir as the captain of the unmarked boat and owner of the fuel, and Mr Diwan as the crew member of the unmarked boat,” stated the commander of the vessel KP. IBIS-6001, Dodot Setiyawan, on Friday (1/5/2026). “From the inspection results, 74 jerry cans or approximately 1,480 litres of subsidised kerosene were found loaded on the unmarked boat, which was to be sent to Sape, NTB,” Dodot continued. Dodot said that of the two arrested individuals, only M. Nasir was designated as a suspect for the criminal act of oil and gas (Migas). Nasir is charged under Law No. 22 of 2001 on Oil and Natural Gas as referred to in Article 55 in conjunction with Article 40 point 9 of Law No. 6 of 2023 on Job Creation. “The penalty is six years’ imprisonment,” Dodot stated. He said the case is being handed over to the Polairud Directorate of the NTT Provincial Police for further legal proceedings.