JAKARTA - The Bintan Navy Base (Lanal) in the Riau Islands (Kepri) thwarted an attempt to smuggle illegal or non-procedural Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) in the waters of the Riau Strait using an unnamed speed boat.
The Commander of the Bintan Lanal Marine Colonel (P) Eko Agus Susanto said that the failure to smuggle illegal PMIs began when the Lanal Bintan Fleet One Quick Response (F1QR) Team carried out routine patrols in the waters of the Riau Strait, Monday, February 24.
"This patrol is also in order to follow up on information from the public regarding the existence of non-procedural PMI smuggling activities in the surrounding waters with the mode of posing as fishermen," Eko said at a press conference at the Mako Lanal Bintan, Wednesday, February 26, which was confiscated by Antara.
According to him, the team received information that three speed boats were passing through the waters of the Riau Strait towards neighboring Malaysia. Furthermore, the team carried out the insulation in the area.
Then, at around 21.30 WIB, the team detected a speed boat passing through the waters of the Riau Strait, then a pursuit was carried out and managed to secure two crew members who were known to be the first tracers.
The task of the tracker is to monitor the presence of officers who are carrying out patrols before the illegal PMI smuggling activity passes through the waters of the Riau Strait.
Furthermore, at around 23.15 WIB, the team again managed to secure another speed boat and two other tracers.
"The four non-procedural PMI smuggling tracers were immediately taken to the Tanjung Uban Posbinpotmar," said Eko.
From the results of the examination, he continued, information was obtained that they received an order from a person with the initials M to be a tracker in the smuggling of illegal PMIs to Malaysia.
The next day or on Tuesday, February 25 at around 00.15 WIB, the team returned to carry out a sweep around the waters of the Riau Strait.
Then, at around 01.30 WIB the team managed to find a speed boat unit containing two illegal PMIs, along with a tekong speed boat who was also the administrator of illegal PMI smuggling activities with the initials M.
They were taken to the Tanjung Uban Posbinpotmar for further questioning.
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To the officers, tekong M previously brought six non-procedural PMIs from the Batam area who were then taken to the Malaysian Renggit beach. Then, upon his return from Malaysia he brought two more PMIs which were planned to be taken down on the one Barelang bridge, Batam.
He admitted that he was paid Rp. 3 million per person to carry out this illegal PMI smuggling activity. In total, there have been about four times he has carried out non-procedural PMI smuggling activities through the waters of the Riau Strait.
In addition, Tekong M is also suspected of having consumed methamphetamine when carrying out his actions. Even when the luggage was examined, 11 pills of ecstasy were found.
Other evidence that was successfully secured included three speed boats, five cellphones, and a number of snacks.
Furthermore, the two illegal PMIs were handed over to the Riau Islands Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Service Agency (BP3MI) according to their authority.
"Meanwhile, the smugglers will be further processed according to the applicable law," said Commander Lanal Bintan.
He emphasized that the success in thwarting the non-procedural PMI smuggling attempt was in line with the emphasis of the Chief of Naval Staff (Kasal) Admiral Muhammad Ali to all ranks, that the Indonesian Navy is committed to safeguarding state sovereignty, especially in taking firm action against all forms of illegal acts that occur in Indonesian waters.
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