"He admitted that he entered Indonesia via water, arriving in Bali after five days of sailing," Head of the Bali Law and Human Rights Service Anggiat Napitupulu stated in Denpasar on Monday.
The Pakistani citizen, named Muhammad Tufail, 23, was arrested by Bali Immigration Intelligence and Enforcement officers during a surveillance operation of foreigners in Denpasar on August 29.
During the operation, Tufail was unable to show residence permit documents, including a crossing mark at the Bali Immigration Checkpoint (TPI).
He was taken immediately by Immigration officers and temporarily detained in the detention room at the Denpasar Immigration Office for further investigation, Napitupulu explained.
"We have indications that he entered without going through TPI. Investigators will investigate whether he entered Indonesia through the waters of Malacca Strait, Kalimantan, or another border," he remarked.
Officers suspect that Tufail had illegally entered Indonesian territory after the man admitted that he had worked for a construction company for three years in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Head of Denpasar Immigration, Tedy Riyandi, remarked that Tufail admitted to having arrived in Bali on August 27, 2023. From the results of the investigation, he said he would work at a tissue company in Bali based on the recommendation of his agent.
Tufail admitted to have departed from Shah Alam, Malaysia, by boat, via Malacca Strait for the Indonesian territory.
Considering that he entered the Indonesian territory without legal permission, Riyandi said that Tufail did not have a flight ticket to return to his country.
Immigration also found Tufail to have violated Article 113 of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration and liable to be sentenced to a maximum of one year's imprisonment and/or imposed a fine of up to Rp100 million.
"The perpetrator was charged with an immigration crime," Riyandi stated.
Denpasar Immigration has also submitted a Notification Letter of Commencement of Investigation to the Denpasar District Prosecutor's Office to investigate this case.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut S W, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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