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Police seize bales of used clothes from Malaysia
Forbidden clothes: Police officers inspect bulk of clothes smuggled from Malaysia at the Selayar waters, South Sulawesi, on Saturday
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Forbidden clothes: Police officers inspect bulk of clothes smuggled from Malaysia at the Selayar waters, South Sulawesi, on Saturday. The clothes were intended to be shipped to Ambon, Maluku Province.
A joint team comprising personnel from the South Sulawesi Police, the Water Police Directorate and the National Police seized 700 bales of used clothes allegedly smuggled from Malaysia, during a patrol Friday in Selayar regency waters.
The used garments were found on board motorized ship Berkat Doa, sailing from Tanjung Pinang Port to Ambon, Maluku, with captain Jone Blegur, 22, at the helm. Police boat Tekukur 643 intercepted it about 64 kilometers west of Selayar Island, after a half-hour chase.
“After checking the ship, we found it was carrying used clothes without proper documents, such as customs and sailing permits,” Tekukur commander Adj. Comr. Toni L.A. Sinaga said Saturday in Makassar.
He added the used garments, comprised of shirts, trousers, shoes and sandals, originated from the Gudang Pasir warehouse in Johor, Malaysia, and were to be taken to Wanci, Southeast Sulawesi.
However, ship captain Jone insisted they were sailing to Ambon. He also said he had no idea the goods lacked proper documentation, arguing he was just doing as ordered by the owner of the 700 bales of used clothes, Nurdin, in taking them from Tanjung Pinang to Ambon.
He added the 45-ton ship was registered in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, and had been hired by Nurdin for Rp 50 million (US$4,545) for the whole year for his used clothes business.
“I really knew nothing about the documents. I just did what Nurdin ordered,’ Jone said.
South Sulawesi Water Police director Sr. Comr. Agus Sutikno put the value of the smuggled goods at Rp 700 million, adding the smuggling attempt could have caused the state Rp 1 billion in losses.
“We’re still investigating, among others, the owner of the goods, the investor and the possible syndicate behind the alleged smuggling. For the time being, only the ship’s captain has been named a suspect in the case,” he said.
Jone will be charged with violating Articles 40 (2) and 110 (2) of Law No. 21/1992 on sailing, and Articles 7a (2), 102 and 102b of Law No. 17/2006 on customs and excise, which carry a penalty of between five and 20 years in prison and a fine of Rp 5 billion.
The seized goods and the ship’s nine crew, including the captain, are currently in police custody at the port security unit headquarters in Makassar for further questioning.
South Sulawesi Police public relations head Sr. Comr. Hery Subian Sauri said his office had stepped up the number of patrols in South and West Sulawesi waters, in an effort to curb rampant illegal fishing, illegal logging and the smuggling of contraband into the country.
