ROTE NDAO - The Rote Ndao Police, East Nusa Tenggara, is hunting down four Indonesian citizens (WNI) suspected of being smugglers of seven foreign nationals (WNA) from China and Uzbekistan who are about to cross illegally to Australia.
The Rote Ndao Police Chief AKBP Mardiono said the four Indonesian citizens fled when the boat they were riding was stranded on the coast of Masidae Beach, Inaoe Village, South Rote District, Rote Ndao Regency.
"There are four Indonesian citizens who fled and currently the team is still searching," said Mardiono when contacted from Kupang, Antara, Wednesday, February 25.
The four Indonesian citizens whose identities are not yet known fled into the forest when they saw the police arrive at the location.
Since Tuesday, February 24, the police team has been conducting raids to find the alleged perpetrators. The police also asked the public to play an active role in reporting if they see suspicious people around the scene of the crime.
"We hope that the public's participation if they find or see the four suspicious people will immediately report to us," he said.
Previously, seven foreigners were found stranded using a speedboat on the coast of Masidae Beach on Tuesday, February 24. They consisted of four Chinese citizens and three citizens of Uzbekistan.
The four Chinese nationals are named Hui Jie, Jiang Bo, Chen Yong, and Dia Guozhong. Meanwhile, three Uzbek citizens are named Kasimov, Sultanmoradov, and Shodiev.
"Currently they are at the Rote Ndao Police to undergo further examination," said Mardiono.
From the results of the interim examination, it was found that the four Chinese nationals entered Indonesia through Jakarta, then continued their journey to Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. They were sent on February 11, 2026 using a ship through an intermediary suspected of being an Indonesian citizen.
According to their confession to investigators, the sea journey to the Australian border took about eight days.
However, upon arriving in Australian waters, they were arrested by local authorities and asked to return to Indonesian territory using a speedboat with limited fuel, until they were eventually stranded in the waters south of Rote Ndao.
The foreigners also admitted to communicating with travel managers through social media and intending to go to Australia to work. Meanwhile, three foreigners from Uzbekistan admitted to paying a fee of 400 US dollars per person to the manager to be sent out.
This case adds to the long list of alleged human smuggling crimes through the sea route in Indonesia's southern border region, which is often used as a transit point to Australia.
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