"Until now the 28 illegal immigrants are still in detention and today they will be taken to the immigration office in Serang," chief of Labuan police sector, Commissioner Sahrul, said when asked to confirm the incident here on Thursday.
He said the arrest was made after the police suspected a bus from Bogor, West Java, on the coast in Cicaringin village carrying scores of people who immediately embarked on the boat upon arrival.
He said the illegal immigrants included nine women and two children from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.
Based on the results of preliminary investigation the police found that they all had no passports or visas to enter Indonesia.
He said they had violated the Indonesian immigration law and would immediately be deported to their respective countries after processing.
He said the Labuan coast has so far been prone to illegal immigrants seeking to cross to Australia.
Apart from arresting the illegal immigrants the police had also arrested the Indonesian bus driver and the boat`s skipper.
"We continue investigating them in an effort to unveil the case," he said. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
