"A total of 22 immigrants allegedly came to Indonesia by sea, and then berthed at Bengkalis seaport. All of them have been moved to the Pekanbaru Immigration Detention House," said the head of Pekanbaru Immigration Detention House Fritz Aritonang here on Thursday.
The immigrants were rounded up by the Bengkalis district military command (Kodim) in Tanjung Leban, Bukit Batu sub-district, Bengkalis district at 3:00 am on Tuesday.
The local security personnel intercepted the immigrants when they were travelling in an L-300 minivan on Dumai-Sei Pakning road, stated the chief of the district military command, Lt. Hendi Suhendi, here on Thursday.
According to Aritonang, 20 of the 22 immigrants are Afghanistani nationals, while the rest are from Pakistan.
He added that two of those from Afghanistan are children under 10 years of age.
"The 20 immigrants have been identified as Ali Sher, Ashraf Ali, Javed, Sajid Hussain, Mohammad Ali, Haffeza Khaliq, Hussain Ali, Sajid Hussain, Muhammad Rezal, Syarifa, Khan Ali, Ali Raza, Rajab Ali, Raza, Hammed, Abbas, Muhammad Ali and Maqbool Hussain," Aritonang noted, adding that the two children are named Abu Fazal and Mahdia.
The two immigrants from Pakistan were named as Bisharaf Hussain and Muhammad Sheraz.
All of the immigrants are in good health, Aritonang continued, stating that apart from these 22 immigrants, an additional 105 immigrants are currently detained at the Pekanbaru Immigration Detention House.
Thus, the total number of immigrants detained here has reached 127 people, Aritonang added. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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