The SFQR personnel foiled the smuggling of 42 sacks of used clothing and eight sacks of secondhand branded footwear from Tawau City to Sebatik Sub-district in North Kalimantan during a routine patrol in the Nunukan waters on Saturday, May 25, a navy officer revealed.
During the patrol, at about 5:30 p.m. local time, the SFQR personnel spotted a suspicious wooden vessel carrying staple food products, Commander of the Nunukan-based Main Naval Base (Lantamal), Commodore Deni Herman, stated.
They then decided to stop the ship for security check that led them to the discovery of the 50 sacks of secondhand clothing and footwear on its deck, Herman told ANTARA here on Sunday evening.
The Indonesian navy personnel, stationed in Nunukan District, North Kalimantan Province, have repeatedly succeeded in foiling smuggling attempts involving Indonesian citizens.
On Friday, May 17, for instance, they thwarted a drug courier's attempt to smuggle a methamphetamine package from Tawau City, Malaysia, into Sebatik Sub-district, Nunukan District.
As reported earlier, the drug courier, identified as WP, 25, smuggled 142 grams of crystal meth through Sebatik Island's Somel traditional port.
Sebatik Island belongs to Indonesia and Malaysia. The southern part of the island is owned by the Indonesian province of North Kalimantan, while the northern part belongs to Malaysia's State of Sabah.
The navy personnel who thwarted the smuggling attempt belonged to Lantamal's Second Fleet Quick Response (SFQR), Second Fleet's elite Frogmen Command (Kopaska), and Ambalat XXIX Maritime Security Task Force.
WP was arrested shortly after arriving at the Sebatik-based traditional port. The navy officers who checked his backpack found three plastic bags of crystal meth inside, weighing some 142 grams.
The suspect, who lives in Tarakan Barat Sub-district, North Kalimantan, told navy officers that AD in Malaysia had asked him to transport the drug package to Nunukan. If he was successful in the drug delivery, AD promised him to pay WB 500 ringgit, or about Rp1.7 million.
Related news: Govt allows retailers to sell used clothing but not imported ones
Related news: Govt urges Instagram to take down accounts selling thrifted clothing
Related news: Ministry drafts regulations on sale of used clothing on social media
Translator: Susylo Asmalyah, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
