A team comprising Indonesian Navy and Western Fleet Quick Response (WFQR) personnel from the Tanjung Priok naval base intercepted the Fajar Bahari V vessel in Tanjung Karawang waters on Wednesday on suspicion of carrying undocumented goods.

When the team's personnel checked aboard the vessel after it docked at Marunda Center Terminal in Bekasi on Thursday, they discovered nine undocumented luxury cars, including a Porsche Turbo S and a BMW, and 18 undocumented motorbikes, including the brands Harley-Davidson, BMW and Honda.  

“We suspected that the vessel carried illegal items and there was suspicion that the crew had smuggled the items from Malaysia,” the commander of the Navy's Western Fleet (Armabar), Rear Adm. Yudho Margono, said as quoted by kompas.com.

The Porsche was found on a truck and was covered with cardboard boxes containing medical masks.

A Porsche Turbo S is hidden on a truck on board of the Fajar Bahari V vessel and is covered with cardboards. (Kompas/Ardito Ramadhan)

“We assume it was an effort to deceive officials doing the checking,” Yudho said.

He said potential loss from the alleged smuggling attempt had not been calculated.

Jakarta Customs and Excise Office head Oentarto Wibowo said he would tighten monitoring to minimize potential losses to the state because of smuggling attempts.

“Of course I will instruct my personnel to tighten patrols in the area,” he said.

Yudho said the skipper had been detained and during preliminary questioning had confessed to smuggling illegal items eight times.

The skipper and the vessel owner will be charged for violating laws on sailing and customs.