3 ABK Introductor 13 Dark Immigrants From Iraq To Australia Suspected

Rote Ndao Police escorted a number of immigrants from Iraq who were stranded in the waters of Rote Ndao, NTT. (ANTARA/Ho-Polres Rote Ndao)

NTT - Rote Ndao Police have named three crew members (ABK) as suspects in the case of the stranding of 13 illegal immigrants from Iraq who were about to sail to Australia.

Previously, the 13 foreign nationals (MNA) from Iraq were stranded in the waters of Rote Ndao Regency in Dodaek Village. They were stranded after being refused entry into Australian territory while sailing from Papela Village, East Rote Regency, to Pasir Island or Ashmore Reef.

"We have named the three crew members as suspects," said Head of Public Relations of the Rote Ndao Police, Aiptu Anam Nurcahyo, when confirmed from Kupang, NTT, Tuesday, December 27, as reported by Antara.

Anam said the three fishermen, namely IP (29), AD (28), and RHG (30), had been detained at the Rote Ndao Police Headquarters and were in the process of fulfilling the case files.

"The three of them were named suspects for violating Article 120 Paragraph (1) of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration," he said.

In addition to the three suspects, the police are also still developing and investigating another suspect who is still being pursued.

"Currently in the development of a suspect named Hanafi Laduma and is still in the process of being chased," he said.

Meanwhile, the 13 foreigners from Iraq are currently at the Kupang Immigration Detention Center, NTT.

Previously, the three crew members from Papela Rote Village met with three crew members from Sulawesi who brought immigrants from Iraq Saturday, December 10. The crew from Sulawesi handed over the boats and immigrants to the crew from Papela.

After handing over the immigrants on Sunday, December 11, they went to Australia to escort the immigrants.

Furthermore, Tuesday morning, December 12, the ship carrying the immigrants was arrested by the Australian waters of Ahsmore Island.

After being arrested, the immigrants were transferred to an Australian ship called Rushani to rest because the ship used to cross national borders had been secured and burned by Australian customs.

Then, still on Tuesday at around 22.00 WITA, the crew members from Papela Village and the immigrants were dispatched by the Australian authorities to return to Indonesian waters.