Another 22 Afghans arrested by immigration officials

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 04/02/2009 5:43 PM

The Bogor Immigration Office has on Thursday detained 22 Afghan nationals who are allegedly illegal immigrants headed for Australia in Puncak, Bogor, West Java.

Bogor immigration office head Ade Endang Dachlan told Antara news wires that the 22 Afghans who claimed to be members of the Hazara tribe in Peshawar appeared to be victims of a human trafficking operation involving a major international syndicate.

"This [looks like] a mafia syndicate crime. We are still looking for those behind it," he said, adding that numerous Afghan nationals had entered Indonesia illegally over the past few years in the hope of being able eventually to reach Australia.

According to Dachlan the arrest was made at two separate lodgings: Kenanga Hotel-2 at Cipayung and Ragal Hotel at Tugu Selatan.

All of those detained were reportedly aged between 31 and 40 years.

Antara news reported that the detainees had travelled into the country without carrying legal travel documents nor entry visas -- a hallmark of trafficking syndicates.

"The Afghans said they had left their country in a group of 120, destined for Indonesia," Dachlan said.

He said Indonesia has been a transit point in various human trafficking activities in recent years.

"We've uncovered an old game which continue to persist, and there is an indication that because they have asked for asylum, the case will be handled by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or International Organization for Migration (IOM)," he said.

He added the IOM at present was using nine Bogor lodgings to accommodate foreigners asking for asylum.

Dachlan said some 164 foreigners who had entered Indonesia illegally are currently being placed at the said lodgings.

Last week another seven Afghans were arrested by the Jambi immigration office after failing to present proper travel documents. (amr)