Police detain 68 illegal immigrants

KUPANG: Officials have moved 68 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan, who were stranded at Raijua Island, and transferred them to Kupang, where they await deportation.

Coast Guard director Snr. Comr. Amir Rachman said on Friday that the crew from two boats that ferried the migrants from Makassar were also arrested. Raijua is located in the west of Kupang.

"They arrived in Kupang on Thursday afternoon. After questioning several of the immigrants, we placed them in the custody of the immigration office," he said

The Afghans were left stranded on Raijua Island after their boat was caught in a storm. They were allegedly heading to Australia.

Earlier this year, police detained 55 immigrants from Afghanistan and Turkey, but 41 of them managed to flee to Australia following a successful escape attempt blamed on a human-trafficking organization. - JP