TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) seized a confiscated ship, CS Nusantara Explorer, in the waters of the Anambas Islands, Riau Islands, last weekend.

The Bakamla Chief Vice Admiral Aan Kurnia said the search and security of the ship were based on the assistance request for securing confiscated movable assets belonging to the Directorate General of Taxes at the Finance Ministry.

“This is an extraordinary inter-ministerial/institutional cooperation,” said Aan in a press statement, Tuesday, December 14.

With the seizure, he said Bakamla managed to save state money up to tens of billions of rupiah. The cable-laying ship which had been confiscated since August 24, 2021, was handed over to the South Jakarta I Tax Directorate General.

The Head of the South Jakarta Tax DG Aim Nursalim Saleh expressed his appreciation to the Bakamla. “On behalf of the South Jakarta Tax DG, I express my deepest gratitude to the Bakamla. If we did not get help, it would be very difficult for us to recover the confiscated assets,” he said.

Aim also said the confiscated movable assets had not yet settled the tax obligations of around Rp33 billion. The Tax DG thus planned to auction the ship that was estimated to be worth Rp300 billion.

Read: Situation in North Natuna Sea Safe and Under Control: Bakamla Chief

MIRZA BAGASKARA | ANTARA