Suspect Of Smuggler Sends Rohingya To Malaysia From Mainland Aceh

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the West Aceh Police, Iptu Fachmi Suciandy. BETWEEN/Teuku Dedi Iskandar.

MEULABOH - The West Aceh Resort Police (Polres) revealed one of the suspects with the initials HS smuggling Rohingya into Malaysia in December 2023 through Southwest Aceh Regency (Abdya).

"Before being arrested, one of the suspects we have detained admitted that he had smuggled 70 Rohingya residents into Malaysia," said Head of the West Aceh Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Iptu Fachmi Suciandy, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, April 18.

According to him, the modus operandi of the suspect HS was to pick up Rohingya immigrants to the Sabang waters, Aceh, then take them to the mainland area of Aceh in the Aceh Bartat Daya (Abdya) Regency area.

Then the 70 Rohingya people were transported by truck to the Tanjung Balai area, North Sumatra Province, then dispatched to the Tanjung Selangor area, Malaysia.

Suhandy said the Rohingya smuggling activity allegedly involved a man who was called the ustadz, and was suspected of being in Malaysia.

"But during the second operation, suspect H was arrested after we arrested a number of other suspects in a separate location," said Suciandy.

Previously, the West Aceh Police also determined four Acehnese who were strongly suspected of being involved in smuggling 75 Rohingya immigrants to the Meulaboh area, the capital of West Aceh Regency which occurred in mid-March 2024.

"We are pursuing the four perpetrators because they were involved as perpetrators of smuggling Rohingya immigrants to Aceh from Bangladesh," said Suciandy.

The four men who have been included in the wanted list (DPO) are S (40), a resident of Idi Rayeuk District, East Aceh Regency, K (40) a resident of Labuhan Haji District, South Aceh Regency. Then R (40), a resident of Drien Kipal Village, Hand-Hand District, Southwest Aceh Regency, and MK Alias Pak Cik (45), a resident of Lembah Sabil District, Southwest Aceh Regency.

Suhandy said the perpetrators were suspected of smuggling Rohingya immigrants by picking them up using the Rizky Fisherman's Motorboat in the waters of Weh Island, Sabang City, Aceh Province.

In addition, the police have also detained four other suspects in a similar case, namely HS (33), a resident of Peuneulop Village, East Labuhan Haji District, South Aceh Regency.

Then, M (46), a resident of Kuta Iboh Village, West Labuhan Haji District, South Aceh Regency, E (49), a resident of Peuneulop Village, East Labuhan Haji District, South Aceh Regency, and HI (25), a resident of Drien Kipah Village, Hand-Hand District, Southwest Aceh Regency.

The four suspects were also charged with Article 120 Avat (1) and (2) and/or Article 114 paragraph (2) of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration and/or Article 55 Paragraph (1) to 1e of the Criminal Code, with a maximum imprisonment of 15 years.