Often causing trouble at the Cengkareng Apartment, Immigration Secures 20 Foreigners from Africa

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - Class I Immigration Office for Soekarno-Hatta (Soetta) Special Immigration Checkpoints (TPI) arrested 20 foreign nationals (WNA) who were suspected of violating immigration and disturbing public order.

"We are carrying out security for the 20 foreign nationals in a surveillance operation for foreigners ahead of the 2023 Christmas and New Year celebrations in the jurisdiction of Soekarno-Hatta Airport", said the Head of the Class I Immigration Office for TPI Soetta Airport, Muhammad Tito Andrianto at a press conference in Tangerang, Thursday, December 22 reported by Antara.

Of the 20 foreign nationals who were secured, 17 were Nigerian citizens, two were Ivory Coast citizens, and one Ghanaian citizen.

The foreign nationals who were secured were identified after receiving information from the public about the activities of foreigners who had been troubling and often causing trouble in an apartment in the Cengkareng area, West Jakarta.

"After inspection, there were eight foreign nationals who exceeded the residence permits granted (overstay) and 12 foreign nationals who were unable to show travel documents (passport). And they also reasoned that they felt comfortable living in Indonesia and did not have the costs to return to their country", he said.

He admitted that so far, Soetta Airport Immigration investigators are still conducting in-depth investigations into the actual activities of dozens of foreigners to find out whether there have been criminal offenses against foreigners.

"We are also currently conducting in-depth investigations, whether they have anything to do with criminal offenses or not", he said.

For this protection, foreigners will be charged with article 116 of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration with a maximum penalty of three months in prison or a maximum fine of IDR 25 million.

"Meanwhile, foreigners who overstay can be subject to immigration administrative measures in the form of deportation and detention as referred to in Article 78 paragraph 3 of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration", he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement, Yogi Saputra Pribadi Kosasih, added that some of the foreigners who were secured were known to have lived in Indonesia for more than five years.

"We are still investigating, usually their mode of marriage is to marry or date Indonesian citizens. The longest overstay is up to 5 years", said Yogi.