R

okan Hilir Police in Riau province arrested 34 foreign nationals and 19 illegal Indonesian migrant workers Tuesday arriving by boat from Malaysia, as they were making their way by car to Medan, North Sumatra.

Rokan Hilir Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Rohmad Nur Said said police conducted the raid following a tip-off that three wooden boats carrying illegal migrant workers had evaded a coast guard patrol boat at around 3 a.m. on Tuesday.

After tracking them down, the boats were found moored at a small harbor in Rimba Melintang district.

"When the joint team arrived at the port, all the passengers had climbed into three cars. Police intercepted the cars at Simpang Poros in Rimba Melintang district and found most of the passengers were foreign citizens," Rohmad told The Jakarta Post by phone Wednesday.

He added 30 of the illegal immigrants did not have immigration documents and claimed to be Afghan. They range in age from 14 to 55 years, and all but one are men. Four of them had Pakistan passports, two of whom were college students in Pakistan, and were headed for Malaysia.

"The Afghans said they wanted to seek political asylum through the UN's representative office in Medan, while the four Pakistanis gave no clear reason for going to Medan," Rohmad said, adding all were handed over to the immigration office in Bagan Siapiapi after undergoing intensive questioning.

"We want to make sure they aren't terrorists or fugitives, nor intend to commit crimes in Indonesia."

He added the 19 illegal Indonesian migrant workers were from Lampung. They are still being questioned to uncover the syndicate that brought them into the country from Malaysia.

"We've obtained the names of the people who brought them here."

Bagan Siapiapi Immigration Office head Asya'ari said his office was still taking statements from the illegal aliens.

"We'll send them to the detention center in Pekanbaru with the other Afghan citizens," he said.

The arrests have added to the list of Afghans detained in Riau. In early March, 10 Afghans were caught in Rokan Hilir waters when trying to enter Indonesia on a vessel with Indonesian illegal migrant workers fleeing from Malaysia.