Case Of Smuggling Chinese Foreigners To Australia Via NTT, Perpetrators Buy Speed Boats In Kupang

Illustration of a fast speed boat hitting the waves. (Peter Fogden-Unsplash)

East Nusa Tenggara Regional Police (Polda NTT) has again uncovered a human smuggling case under the guise of tourism in Kupang Regency.

This case involved Pan Xiaoming (39), a Chinese citizen who was going to Australia illegally through Kupang.

"He bought one of the speed boats in Kupang, then wanted to bring three other Chinese foreigners using the ship to enter Australia," said the Director of Criminal Investigation at the NTT Police, Kombes Pol. Patar Silalahi, in Kupang, Friday, July 4, confiscated by Antara.

He said that the arrest and disclosure of this case was carried out last week, in the Kupang Regency, NTT Province.

From the results of the preliminary examination, it was known that Pan Xiaoming along with three other foreigners Yu Junjie, Yang Ao, and Song Zhonghua entered Indonesia between May 25 and June 6, 2025.

"They enter Indonesia using a visit visa or Visa on Arrival," he said.

Arriving in Kupang, these foreigners stayed at a hotel and Pan Xiaoming bought a speedboat from someone named Haji Dean for Rp. 100 million.

The ship was planned to be used to sail to Australia. During the inspection, GPS Garmin was found with the Kupang 'Australia cruise route as far as 875 km and the history of internet searches on Pan Xiaoming phones related to the Australian coastal security situation.

"This mode is very structured. The purchase of ships, shipping points, and the role of each perpetrator has been planned from the start. This is not an ordinary tourist trip," said Kombes Patar.

His party has also secured a number of evidences such as a speed boat called TAI SHAN' one for GPS Garmin Passports, cellphones, fuel jerry cans, and ship purchase documents

The suspect was charged with Article 120 paragraph (2) and Article 122 of Law no. 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration, with a penalty of 5 to 15 years in prison.

"We are still exploring the possibility of a wider network, and will immediately complete the case file to be transferred to the prosecutor," he concluded.