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Customs catch three vessels smuggling shallots from Malaysia

Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post)
Medan, North Sumatra
Wed, October 26, 2016

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Customs catch three vessels smuggling shallots from Malaysia Illegal goods – A customs officer secures illegally imported shallots taken from three vessels arrested in Kuala Bagan Asahan waters in North Sumatra on Oct.25. From the three vessels, officers confiscated 9 tons of shallots being smuggled from Malaysia. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)

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Customs and Excise Office maritime patrol from Teluk Nibung, Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra, arrested on Tuesday three fishing vessels for allegedly smuggling shallots from Malaysia, an official has said.

The North Sumatra Customs and Excise Office’s head of investigation and legal measures, Rizal, said that during the operation, personnel found 3 tons of illegally imported shallots in each vessel.

Departing from Malaysia, the three vessels were traveling to Tanjung Balai Asahan when the customs patrol intercepted them in Kuala Bagan Asahan waters.

“We had monitored their movements since they departed from Malaysia. Most of the crew members did not attempt to resist our arrest,” Rizal told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday evening.

He said five crew members from two vessels had been detained while several crewmen on board the third vessel managed to flee to mangrove forests near the waters.

Rizal said the five arrested crew members were still being legally processed at the Teluk Nibung Customs and Excise Office while the 9 tons of shallots had been confiscated as evidence.

“We will process them legally and impose sanctions commensurate with the crime to provide a deterrent effect,” he said. (ebf)

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