Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Police have arrested an Australian citizen of Iranian descent known as Haydar Khani alias Ali Hamid alias Abu Hamid alias Ali Khoram (41) on Tuesday for allegedly being involved in a human smuggling case.

"Haydar was arrested in an apartment in the Senayan area in Jakarta for allegedly smuggling people from Indonesia to Australia," National Police public relations chief Senior Commissioner Boy Rafli Amar said here on Wednesday.

Haydar entered Indonesia using a tourist visa and has lived in the country for almost two years.

"Haydar has been recorded of having conducted people smuggling seven times with the last one recorded in December 2010," he said.

The case was uncovered following the incident of Maju Jaya boat from Indonesia on Christmas Island where around 30 people had died and 42 others were saved, he said.

"Those saved were believed to have been smuggled to Australia," he said.

The arrest of the Australian citizen followed the arrest of Hasan Basri and Erwin by the West Java police. Meanwhile a man named Syukri is now still at large, he said.

"Right now there are several Indonesian crew members linked with the case who are still being interrogated by the Australian Federal Police," he said.

Based upon the cooperation agreement with the Indonesian police the AFP has given some data on the people believed to be the organizer that has facilitated the activity.

"Those suspects that have been arrested have given accommodations for their departure to Australia as illegal immigrants," he said.

For further investigation the Indonesia police sent investigators to Australia on Tuesday.(*)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
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