Life is Healthy

Antara News, Wednesday, April 14, 2010 11:03 WIB

Sukabumi, W Java (ANTARA News) - Some 37 illegal immigrants from the Middle East were nabbed by Sukabumi police early Wednesday morning.

They were arrested at Palampang beach, Ciemas subdistrict in Sukabumi, West Java, when they were about to board a boat for Christmas Island. Palampang beach is quite close to the Australian island of Christmas.

They were herded to Ciemas police office and then driven to Sukabumi immigration office for further investigation.

Chief of Sukabumi police criminal investigation unit Adjunct Commissioner Suciptono also confirmed that the 37 illegal immigrants were captured early Wednesday morning at Palampang beach.

"We have nabbed the 37 illegal immigrants from the Middle East and now they are still at Ciemas police station," Suciptono said they would be driven to Sukabumi immigration office at 9 on Wednesday morning.

But he made no mention on whether they would remain in Indonesia or be deported to their country of origin.

"We will hand over the illegal immigrants to the immigration office to decide whether they should be deported or not," Suciptono said.

Meanwhile, it was reported from Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on Monday, April 12, 2010, that a total of 135 illegal immigrants had been caught in the province over the past few months and they were still staying at a local immigration detention center.

They came from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, were arrested by the police and immigration authorities in Kupang, I Gusti Ngurah Rai, head of the Kupang Immigration Detention Center, said on Monday.

The detained illegals were still waiting for a clarification process to be conducted by the UNHCR and the International Organization of Migration (IOM).

The majority of the detainees were Afghans, he said, adding that they were not in possession of legal travel documents when caught.

The illegal immigrants mostly wanted to go to Australia as asylum seekers but while waiting for the UNHCR and IOM`s clarification process, the police had sent them to the detention center, he said.

Tempo Interactive, Monday, 29 March, 2010 | 22:06 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: East Java Police arrested 47 Iranian immigrants in a regency about 210 kilometers southwest of Surabaya early on Monday (29/3), which were trying travel to Christmas island by boat.

Thirty eight male, seven female and four children were being detained by maritime police in Pacitan Regency in the southern coast of Java since their capture earlier today.

Head of the regency Marine Police Unit Adjutant Second Inspector Yahudi said the immigrants were in good condition. He said local fishermen spotted the immigrants on a life boat-like vessel about three miles of the coast of Pacitan and reported them to the police.

A translator helping police to communicate with the immigrants said the Iranians were trying to head to Christmas Island.

Police suspected the immigrants entered Indonesia legally and spent several times in a temporary shelter in Bogor, West Java before continue with their trip. No report on the persons who guided the immigrants with their movements in Indonesia.

ISHOMUDDIN

Jakarta Globe, February 03, 2010

Forty-eight Indonesian illegal immigrants were arrested while trying to leave Malaysia on a ferry from Bagan Hailam near Pulau Ketam on Tuesday.

They were nabbed along with nine ferry crew members, including the captain. The vessel was heading for Tanjung Balai Asahan, Indonesia, at 9:30 a.m., said Port Klang Marine Police commanding officer DSP Norzaid Muhammad Said.

He said the illegal immigrants hid in a specially built compartment under the engine room of the ferry when they were caught.

They had worked in factories and restaurants in Johor, Ipoh and Tanjung Malim for periods of between one and three years, Norzaid told reporters at the Klang Marine Police base on Tuesday.

He said the illegal immigrants, consisting of 28 men and 20 women aged between 21 and 42, paid about RM1,000 ($294) each to a syndicate for the journey home.

The immigrants and the captain of the ferry will be handed over to the Immigration Department while the ferry was detained pending investigations, he added.

Pulau Ketam literally translated means “Crab Island”. It is a small island located off the coast of Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Antara

Antara News, Saturday, January 30, 2010 22:53 WIB

Medan (ANTARA News) - Police in Medan, North Sumatra, on Saturday arrested 26 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan.

The immigrants were arrested in Pasar III area on Jalan Datuk Kabu, Percut Sei Tuan, Deli Serdang, according to a source.

The immigrants were undergoing questioning at the police station in Medan.

One of them, Zaki, said they arrived in Medan on Saturday in the waters he did not know its name.

He said they fled Afghanistan because they could no longer stand the situation there. They had chosen Indonesia because they considered it being actively involved in international peace processes.

"Indonesia is also considered a safe country," he said.