Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Navy and the Rokan Hilir Water and Air Police conducted a joint patrol to prevent boats carrying Rohingya refugees from entering the waters of Riau province.
The chief of Rokan Hilir Police, adjunct senior commissioner Andrian Pramudianto, in a statement released here on Friday, informed that the joint patrol was carried out to anticipate two refugee boats being diverted to North Sumatra region and possibly re-entering Riau waters on Thursday (January 4, 2024).
"There are indications that boats carrying Rohingyas have entered Riau waters. We carried out a joint patrol in the waters of Sinaboi and Panipahan," Pramudianto said.
The patrol began with a routine briefing for the personnel.
The joint personnel also asked fishermen to immediately contact the nearest Navy post if they spot any suspected Rohingya refugee groups.
On Wednesday (January 3), it was reported that the Rokan Hilir Regional Police caught as many as 11 Rohingyas and 11 Indonesians who were trying to cross into Malaysia illegally.
Pramudianto said the 22 people came from Labuhan Batu, North Sumatra, by land.
They were caught after a Panipahan police personnel saw a group of people carrying bags around 3 a.m. local time. The group was suspected of being Indonesian migrant workers trying to enter Malaysia illegally.
The group planned to cross into Malaysia from the Panipahan Darat Islands, Pasir Limau Kapas sub-district, Rokan Hilir district, Riau province.
"There is an indication of human trafficking cases, and there are Rohingyas, too," Pramudianto said.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is determined to hunt down human traffickers who play a role in bringing Rohingya refugees to Aceh, the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, said earlier.
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Translator: Bayu A, Annisa F, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
