Police Arrest Ships Transporting Dozens Of Illegal Migrant Workers Destination Malaysia

The Directorate of Water and Air Police of the North Sumatra Regional Police thwarted an attempt to illegally smuggle dozens of Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) by arresting a transport ship in the waters of Labu Beach, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra, last Sunday.

At least 24 PMIs and five people who were skippers and crew members (ABK) were arrested while sailing to neighboring Malaysia.

After being arrested in the waters of Labu Beach, Deli Serdang Regency, they were immediately taken to the Air and Air Police Directorate Headquarters of the North Sumatra Regional Police in Medan Belawan District, Medan City.

From the results of the examination, the 24 illegal PMIs who were arrested consisted of 14 people from East Nusa Tenggara Province, eight people from Aceh Province, and two people from North Sumatra Province.

Director of the Water and Air Police of the North Sumatra Regional Police, Police Commissioner Rudi Rifani, said that the thwarting of the illegal PMI smuggling attempt began with reports from the public, especially fishermen who knew of a wooden ship sailing from the waters of Pantai Cermin, Serdang Bedagai Regency, North Sumatra.

Receiving the report, the officers then carried out patrols in the waters. While in the waters of Labu Beach, officers saw the wooden ship exactly like the characteristics informed of sailing in the waters of Labu Beach to Malaysia.

Knowing this, the officers then chased the wooden boat and made arrests and it was true that 24 PMIs were inside the wooden ship. The officers immediately arrested a ship captain and four crew members.

"They will go to Malaysia without official documents to leave the country. The number is 24 people, of the 24 people, large or 14 people are from East Nusa Tenggara, eight are from Aceh and some are from North Sumatra," said Rudi, Monday, April 22.

Now all of these PMIs have been handed over by the Directorate of Water and Air Police to the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Center (BP3MI) for further processing and will later be repatriated to their home province.

Meanwhile, a captain and four crew members (ABK) who were arrested are still being investigated by investigators from the Directorate of Water and Air Police of the North Sumatra Regional Police who will later be legally processed.

"They will go to Malaysia without official documents to leave the country. The number is 24 people, of the 24 people, large or 14 people are from East Nusa Tenggara, eight are from Aceh and some are from North Sumatra," said Rudi, Monday, April 22.

Now all of these PMIs have been handed over by the Directorate of Water and Air Police to the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Center (BP3MI) for further processing and will later be repatriated to their home province.

Meanwhile, a captain and four crew members (ABK) who were arrested are still being investigated by investigators from the Directorate of Water and Air Police of the North Sumatra Regional Police who will later be legally processed.

The five of them are also threatened with being subject to an article in the Indonesian Migrant Workers Act with a penalty of more than 5 years in prison. In addition, officers also confiscated a ship carrying the illegal PMIs to be used as evidence.