Delivery Of 17 Illegal Workers To Malaysia Successfully Thwarted In Batam Waters

The group of victims of the illegal PMI candidates who were secured by the Indonesian Navy in Batam. (ANTARA)

The Indonesian Navy (AL) thwarted efforts to send 17 prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) illegally in Batam Waters to Malaysia.

The 'Fleet One Quick Responses' (F1QR) Lantamal IV Batam team thwarted efforts to send 17 non-procedural PMI candidates to Malaysia in Batam Waters, Saturday (3/6) night, "said Danlantamal IV Batam, First Admiral of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, Kemas M Ikhwan Madani, quoted by ANTARA, Sunday, June 4.

He said, in addition to rescuing 17 victims of illegal PMI candidates, his party also secured three people suspected of being administrators for the departure of the illegal PMI candidate.

He explained that the attempt to send the illegal PMI candidate was successfully thwarted in Batam waters from two different departure locations, namely Tiban, Sekupang District and Batam Center, Batam City District.

"Both were arrested at different times and different places but on the same day," he said.

For the first group in Tiban, consisting of nine people were secured in the waters of Bokor Island. From the development of the nine victims, officers managed to arrest two people suspected of acting as perpetrators of illegal activities.

"Furthermore, eight prospective PMIs were illegal and one person suspected of being the perpetrator of the smuggling was arrested in Batam Center waters on a concrete ship as he was about to leave for Malaysia," he said.

He said this illegal PMI candidate came from several regions, including from Aceh, Batam, Solo, Sumenep, and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

"When asked for information, several of these illegal PMI candidates said they would be brought from Batam to Malaysia by paying a wage of Rp. 6 to Rp. 12 million," he said.

Furthermore, 17 PMI candidates and administrators are planned to be handed over to the authorized agency through BP2MI Batam.