Hundreds of Indonesian people smugglers detained in Australia
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 09/13/2010 10:57 AM
Hundreds of Indonesian nationals from East Nusa Tenggara are reportedly being
detained and will stand trial in Australia for facilitating people
smuggling into the neighboring country.
Head of operations at Kupang Immigration Office Moon Bagarai said Monday the
Indonesian nationals, mostly from Kupang city and Rote Ndao regency in East
Nusa Tenggara, had allegedly helped hundreds of foreigners escape from the
Kupang immigration detention center on Aug. 13 and Aug. 24.
However, Bagarai added that he had not received any official notification about
the detention of East Nusa Tenggara residents in Australia.
“Their detention will teach others not to follow suit,” Bagarai told Antara state
news agency.
A Kupang resident said his relative in Australia
had told him the number of East Nusa Tenggara people detained in Australia
for their alleged involvement in migrant smuggling had reached 250.
