Illustration.(Tribun/ Argianto DA Nugroho)

The West Quick Fleet Response Unit of the Indonesian Navy has apprehended the suspected leader of pirate group operating in the Malacca Strait, which has been running an operation stealing from ships in the waters.

Indonesian Navy spokesman First Admiral M. Zainudin said that the man named Waskim was apprehended in a hotel in Pulogadung in East Jakarta on Tuesday. The Navy intelligent officers then brought him to the Navy's Western Fleet Command (Koarmabar).

"The officers will question him and further the investigation into the piracy syndicate in the Malacca Strait," he said as quoted by tribunnews.com on Tuesday.

Zainudin said Waskim's group specialized in stealing spare parts of ships and operated in areas such as the Malacca Strait, Dumai and Jakarta Bay waters.

"The Navy team has uncovered Waskim's network, starting from the perpetrators conducting piracy on the boat, the warehouse where they kept their criminal goods up to the sellers of the stolen goods in areas of Jakarta," he said.

Officers arrested a man with the initials UM a day earlier who was suspected of being a donor of the pirate group in the Malacca Strait. UM allegedly funded two pirate syndicates operating in the Malacca Strait, including Waskim's, Zainudin said. (rin)(+)

Popular

Indonesian hotel chain confirms exit from Cuba

Femicide persists as women face systemic neglect 

Health Ministry to push regulation on tobacco plain packaging