TEMPO.CO, Pekanbaru - Seven illegal Afghan immigrants were caught during an inspection by Pekanbaru’s Department of Transportation, when passing through Muara Fajar Street, Rumbai Subdistrict. Officials managed to secure four men and three women along with an Indonesian national driver named Supiono. The immigrants departed from Dumai heading towards Kampar.
"We have taken the immigrants and driver to Pekanbaru Resort Police," said Nur Fajri, an official to the Department of Transportation yesterday.
The arrest was made when an officer of the Department of Transportation Pekanbaru held a routine inspection in Muara Fajar Street. A Toyota Avanza made a suspicious movement. The car tried to avoid the inspection by maneuvering to a small alley.
When approached by officers, the driver escaped into a palm-oil plantation. The officers then secured the seven immigrants who failed to show their legal documents. "An officer chased down the driver until he was caught. Now the driver and passengers have been secured in Pekanbaru Resort Police," Nur Fajri said.
Deputy Chief of City Police Resort, Sugeng Putut Wicaksono, claimed to have detained seven illegal immigrants and an Indonesian driver. The immigrants said to come from Kabul, Afghanistan and were on their way to Australia. The immigrants entered Riau from Malaysia through Dumai waters.
Supiono claimed to have been paid Rp1 million to take the group to Kampar. "We are still investigating the driver to further explore the suspicion of smuggling these illegal immigrants," Sugeng said.
RIYAN NOFITRA