TEMPO.CO, Kupang - Commander of Security Forces of Indonesian-Timor Leste Border, Major Infantry Budi Prasetyo said the number of smuggling in the border area of the two countries was still quite high. In the past two months, he said security forces had foiled a number of attempts trying to smuggle oil, basic foods, firearms and vehicles.

"More Indonesians smuggle goods to Timor Leste than the other way around," Budi Prasetyo said.

The main factors of those smuggling cases, he said, are the poor economic conditions of the people and the limited number of jobs in the border area. Plus, the needs of Timor Leste people for fuel and basic food due to the high price of those commodities in the country also play an important role to the smuggling.

Budi said one liter of fuel in Timor Leste is priced at Rp15,000 while in Belu Regency, Indonesia, it is only Rp8,000.

So far, the security forces have foiled the smuggling of 9,133 liters of oil. The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) has also foiled smuggling of 13 assembled firearms, 109 ammunitions and six hand grenades, and five M16 magazines. The security forces have also foiled smuggling of two jars of frying oils, 34 bottles of liquor, 7 boxes of instant noodle, 4 sacks of tobaccos and 1 sack of flour.

"We have also foiled smuggling of one Kijang Innova car," Budi added.

FRANSISCO ROSARIANS