"There are 40 people, and the deportation process was made in two stages. They were transferred to the Immigration Directorate General in Jakarta first and then deported to the country of origin," head of the immigration division at the Legal and Human Rights Office in Riau, Mas Agus Santoso, said here on Thursday.
Twenty Bangladeshi detainees were transferred to Jakarta earlier on Tuesday, and the remaining detainees were transferred to the capital city on Thursday aboard a Garuda Indonesia flight GA175 at 11 a.m.
"The cost for the deportation would be covered by the origin country`s representatives in Indonesia," he stated.
The 40 deportees would be barred from entering Indonesia at least for the next six months.
Head of the Pekanbaru detention center Junior M. Sigalingging noted that the 31 deportees were arrested by the Indonesian Navy Base personnel in Dumai for trying to enter Malaysia illegally through Riau waters. They were allegedly victims of human trafficking syndicate.
Nine others were arrested by the immigration officers in Pekanbaru.
"They entered Indonesia legally, but they violated the immigration law during their stay in the country," he pointed out.
Reporting by FB Anggoro
Editing by Sri Hariyati
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Andi Abdussalam
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
