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Navy apprehends 29 illegal migrant workers returning from Malaysia
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Struggle for life: Migrant workers from South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi disembark with their children from a vessel at Tunon Taka Port in Nunukan regency, North Kalimantan, on March 6. (Antara/M. Rusman)
P
ersonnel of the Western Fleet Quick Response (WFQR) team from the Tanjung Pinang Naval Base arrested 29 undocumented migrant workers who had illegally traveled from Malaysia to Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands, on a small speed boat.
Fourth Tanjung Pinang Naval Main Base (Lantamal) commander Commodore Ribut Eko Suyatno said the Navy made the arrest after receiving a tip claiming the arrival point of a boat carrying dozens of illegal migrant workers from Malaysia had been moved from Batam to Tanjung Pinang.
“Previously, both the departure and arrival of illegal Indonesian migrant workers from Malaysia were conducted in Batam, but now, it has been moved to Tanjung Pinang,” Eko said on Monday.
He said the illegal migrant workers were arrested early on Sunday after their speed boat docked at a quay on Carang River. The boat’s agent was preparing a bus, which would carry the workers to their hometowns, when the arrest occurred.
“All of them worked in Malaysia without proper work permits. They departed via illegal routes without passports and returned back to Indonesia using a similar procedure,” Eko said.
He added that the trip had been organized by four people who belonged to an experience network that provided illegal transportation to Malaysia.
The Navy also apprehended a tekong (local broker) and four crew members. They are currently being detained at Lantamal’s detention facility. (ebf)
