"The 42 foreigners were generally working illegally in Maluku waters from their base in Tual, Southeast Maluku," head of Amon`s immigration office, Enang Supriyadi, here on Monday.
Thirty-nine of the foreigners were from Cambodia and three from Thailand.
Enang said some of them had turned themselves in at the office while the others were caught.
Enang said he did not know why they came to Ambon but what was clear was they came after they had problems in Tual.
He said it was not easy to tackle foreigners in Ambon because after they were deported others would come and be caught again and so the detention center was never empty.
Enang said the Cambodian embassy had said it would send staff to Ambon to see directly its citizens` conditions.
"Let them see for themselves their conditions and talk with the detainees to make sure that their are Cambodian citizens," Enang said.
Enang said the immigration office meanwhile was still trying to deport the three Thai citizens.
(Uu.H-YH/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
