TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Dozens of foreign nationals stranded on Keusikurug Beach, Sukabumi Regency, West Java, were allegedly in the process of being smuggled to Australia.

"One of the crew members of the motorboat carrying 28 foreigners said the plan was to smuggle the foreigners from Bangladesh, China, and India to Christmas Island, Australia," said the Head of the Enforcement Sub-section of the Class II Sukabumi Immigration Office, Muhammad Teguh Santoso in Sukabumi on Sunday, June 30, 2024, as quoted from Antara.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Agus (42 years), a resident of Samarinda City, East Kalimantan, who is a ship mechanic, admitted that he was asked by someone named Ical, a resident of Cilacap Regency, Central Java, to send several people using a motorboat from the Cilacap Fishing Port to Christmas Island.

Agus was promised Rp300 million for transferring the foreigners to Australia and was already given Rp5 million for the down payment. He was hesitant at first but yielded because of the promised huge reward.

The foreigners arrived at the port by bus after Agus received the payment, and sailed to Christmas Island on a motorboat captained by Dahlan, a West Nusa Tenggara resident. "I forgot what date I left the port to accompany the 28 foreigners, but we certainly traveled for nine days heading to Christmas Island," he said.

He added that they were caught by the Australian maritime patrol officers when they were just about to reach Christmas Island and were detained for 11 days on an Australian patrol boat.

On June 29, 2024, at 05:00 a.m. Christmas Island time, they were released and ordered to return to Indonesian waters. They were given a speedboat after the Australian authorities sunk their motorboat and equipment.

On the way to Indonesia, however, their speedboat experienced problems and they landed at Keusikurug Beach, Tegalbuleud District, Sukabumi. The alleged illegal migrants and the two accompanying Indonesians are currently being held temporarily at the Warungkiara Correctional Facility.

ANTARA

Editor’s Choice: Bogor Regency to Evict Illegal Villas in Puncak

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News