Public warned about suspicious foreigners

Public warned about suspicious foreigners

JAKARTA (JP): The public should be wary of suspicious looking
foreigners and report them to the authorities, Zaiman Nurmatias,
the director of control and supervision at Immigration, said
yesterday.

Zaiman said many illegal aliens now in police custody had been
living in residential areas, and working for local firms. "Some
where married to local women," he said.

He said information from the public would help police and
immigration officials in their work, citing the arrest of four
Malians in West Jakarta on Tuesday.

"A local reported that suspicious looking black-skinned men
where in the area. They probably worked in the clothing trade.
The men were also seen at community prayers in local mosques,"
Zaiman said. "The local asked if they had proper immigration
documents."

Zaiman said of the four Malians, "Only Bandiougou held a valid
passport." The others, identified as Dembele Cheekou, Souare
Mahamdou and Diawara Mamadou did not.

Zaiman said immigration officers found one of the Malians
living in a rented house with his wife. "They have a four-year-
old child, who speaks Javanese."

The four presented their passports, which showed they had
overstayed their visas.

A Malian couple with two children were also found renting a
house close by. They were unable to present any travel documents.
The claimed they where marketing staff for a garment firm PT
Africando, Zaiman said.

"They purchase garments and textiles from Tanah Abang, Central
Jakarta and then send them home. They send two or three
containers every two months," he said.

On Monday, immigration officials arrested seven foreigners
holding Korean passports, and two with Nigerian passports, on Jl.
Kebalen, South Jakarta, for overstaying their visas. (sur)