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20 Smuggler Ships ‘Preparing To Enter’ N. Sumatra Waters
Customs officers tow the KM Karunia vessel, allegedly carrying an illegal shipment of shallots, to Belawan Port in Medan, North Sumatra, on Friday. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)
October 8th, 2016 | 08:03 AM | 1093 views
JAKARTA
20 smuggler ships ‘preparing to enter’ N. Sumatra waters
The North Sumatra Customs and Excise Office announced on Friday that it suspected 20 ships from Malaysia smuggling illegal goods, including drugs, were intending to enter Tanjung Balai Asahan waters in North Sumatra.
Head of the office’s enforcement and investigation department, Rizal, said he had received a tip-off from an intelligence body, adding that the ships were reportedly preparing to enter Indonesian territory.
“We got information from Malaysia that nine ships in Apeng Mabuk and 11 in Asa Niaga were loading illegal goods like compressed trash, shallots and even suspected drugs. The ships were heading to Tanjung Balai Asahan,” Rizal said.
He said smuggler ships arrived in Tanjung Balai Asahan waters almost every day. The customs office, he said, faced challenges in combating the transportation of illegal goods because smugglers often fought with customs officers.
“Smugglers pay mobs to attack our officers in the waters. This poses a dilemma because if we respond by using firearms we are afraid of violating human rights,” he said.
Early on Friday morning, four customs officers were injured after a mob threw Molotov cocktails at a patrol ship. (evi)
Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST
by Apriadi Gunawan Apriadi Gunawan
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