Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung | Thu, 11/05/2009 8:11 PM
West Java Police foiled the smuggling of 116 illegal immigrants from the Middle East to Australia through Gresik, East Java, and Cilacap, Central Java, on Thursday.
All of the illegal immigrants had previously received asylum seeker status from the UNHCR in Indonesia and were accommodated in Puncak, West Java, said Fatma Noer, head of the West Java Police’s people smuggling unit.
An Afghan citizen, Mohamad Younuous, and his three Indonesian aides, were arrested in Gresik on Oct. 25 when he was about to transport 91 illegal immigrants to Madura, East Java. Shahzad Akhta Ali, an Indonesian citizen of Pakistani descent, was arrested four days later in Cilacap, along with 25 illegal immigrants who will be sent to Christmas Island.
International people smuggling activities have been conducted for quite a long time, said the West Java Police unit. Ali himself admitted to having sent illegal immigrants to Australia as many as 20 times through several unofficial harbors along the South Java coast this year.
Besides Younous and Ali, the police believe there are still several other people smuggling agents offering their service to transport illegal immigrants, who have already obtained asylum seeker status in Indonesia, to Australia.
Each illegal immigrant paid between US$2,000 and $4,000 for a new life in their dream country.
Anyone found guilty of people smuggling can face a maximum sentence of six years imprisonment and Rp 30 million (more than $3,000) fine for violating the 1992 Immigration Law.
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